Jodhpur, Aug 20 (IANS): In another sign of changing times, the influential Oswal community has decided against using wood for cremating its dead to curb the felling of trees and to protect the environment. A gas-based crematorium will instead be used.

"A gas-based crematorium has been installed in a newly-built hall in the community's Shivanchi Gate cremation ground here at a cost of Rs.30 lakh," Manoj Mehta, vice president of the Oswal Swargashram Sewa Samiti, told IANS.

The crematorium has been brought from Vadodara for Rs.18 lakhs, he added.

"The gas-based facility, perhaps the first one in the state, will not only save trees but would be cheaper in comparison to usual cremations performed with wood," he added.

According to Mehta, around 200-300 kg of wood costing Rs. 5,000-10,000 is used for a cremation.

Against this, 10 kg of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) costing a maximum of Rs.1,500 would be used in the new facility.

"The idea behind setting up such a plant came to my mind after I realised that if trees are cut in such numbers then what would happen to our ecology and environment? It is necessary to save trees if we want rain, and no one other than people like me who live in a part of desert can understand the importance of water or rain," he added.

He hoped that this initiative by the Jain community will go a long way in spreading awareness and knowledge on environment protection.

"Other communities have also started showing interest in it," Mehta said.

The Oswals are a business community spread across the country.