Forest department ups vigil as demand for wood spikes at crematoriums in Capital

NEW DELHI: As the city grapples with a rising demand for wood for cremations of Covid-19 victims, the Delhi forest department is now on its guard to control cases of illegal cutting of trees in the Capital.

Senior forest officials said instances of illegal felling of trees has come to their notice, and could have been prompted by a surge in demand for wood for cremations. The forest officials, along with Delhi Police, are keeping a watch on the black marketing and sale of wood for funeral pyres, officials said.

On May 2, a case of illegal cutting of four fully grown trees was reported from south Delhi’s Dera Mandi. The south division of the forest department sealed the area, and is conducting an inquiry. Officials have not been able to retrieve the timber so far.

“While we are providing permission to the municipalities for cutting dead and dried trees, we are keeping a close watch to ensure only the municipal agencies are cutting trees... But we are also stressing that civic agencies should come up with a long term solution...,” said a senior forest official. “We are only giving permission to government agencies and not entertaining any private requests now,” said Navneet Srivastava, deputy conservator of forests (west).

Residents living in the Capital’s outskirts said smaller funeral centres have become starved of resources, leading to instances of families having to buy wood at high rates.

“Grieving families are often asked to get wood. Each pile of wood, some 200-300kg, is sold at Rs 20,000 or so,” said Karamveer Singh, a resident of Najafgarh’s Ghummenhera village.

A caretaker at Nigambodh Ghat crematorium said they have reduced the wood used in pyres. “... we brought down wood used for funeral pyres from the usual 500-600kg per body to around 450kg. The situation of smaller cremation facilities is worse,” the caretaker said, asking not to be named.

The municipalities said that they were experimenting with alternative and sustainable technologies.

“We (north corporation) have recently started making logs of dried cow dung, and shredded crop stubble, which is a farm waste,” said mayor of the north corporation Jai Prakash.

BK Singh, former principal chief conservator forests in Karnataka, said the temporary shortage of wood may not result in long-term damage.aged.”