CREMATORIUM OVERCHARGING FOR WOOD, SAY COUNCILLORS

GHAZIABAD: Ghaziabad councillors have alleged that residents who perform the last rites of their deceased family members at the Hindon cremation ground are being overcharged for wood amid the ongoing lockdown.

They alleged that as compared to the ₹500 or ₹600 charge for every quintal of wood earlier, residents need to pay at least ₹900 now.

“This is happening amid the lockdown when people are already facing all kinds of troubles, we have asked municipal commissioner to take action in this regard,” said Himanshu Mittal, councillor from Kavi Nagar. “The rates now are too high and even ₹100 is charged extra for carrying the wood from the stockpile to the funeral platform. This rampant overcharging is not acceptable and must stop.”

According to Acharya Manish Pandit, caretaker at the Hindon cremation ground, nearly 10 to 15 bodies are cremated there and each funeral requires three to four quintals of wood. “Currently, we have to charge about ₹900 per quintal for wood, and it is because of non-availability of wood in local markets. We have to procure wood from areas like Kithor in Meerut and Gulaothi in Bulandshahr. The cost has also increased on account of transportation charges and also the increased wages we pay to our workers,” Pandit said.“when the lockdown started we were charging about ₹750 per quintal of wood. Until May 13, we had adequate supply of wood from Meerut and Bulandshahr and after adding all charges, which increased during the lockdown, families had to pay ₹800 for every quintal. Since the supply has gone down, we had to increase the rate to ₹ 900. We are providing free wood for unidentified bodies, and economically backward people.”

Municipal commissioner Dinesh Chandra said Pandit has been running the Hindon cremation ground for the past 10 years on contract.

“He has been managing the affairs for the last 10 years, and we will review his contract. I have sought a report over the complaints,” he said.