Pics: Joshwa D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)

Mangaluru, Apr 5: MLA of Mangaluru south constituency J R Lobo on Tuesday April 5 inaugurated the new electric crematorium at Boloor here.

Mayor of the Mangaluru City Corporation Harinath lit the lamp in the presence of other guests.

Addressing the gathering, J R Lobo said "This is the result of one-and-a-half years of continuous efforts. I congratulate the engineering section of MCC on this.

"This crematorium has been set up at a cost of Rs 20 lac. Still we need to get the permission from the pollution control board. For this we need to install scrubber and high chimney at a cost of Rs 20 lacs. I request the engineers of MCC to complete the installation within a month so that the crematorium can function smoothly as per the requirements of the public," he said.

"It is a good practice to switch to electric cremation in city limits as cremation requires wood and pollution is very high because of this.

"We are taking measures to improve the Nandigudda and Kadri crematories. It recent days there were some issues on making doctor's certificate mandatory to use the crematorium in Nandigudda. But I urge the MCC officials to change the rule and make way for the use of the crematorium with a recommendation letter of the local corporator," he added.

Mayor Harinath pointed on the need to maintain the crematorium in good condition. "Even though this crematorium was inaugurated a few decades ago by the then mayor Sadashiva Bhandary, it was in a very bad condition without any maintenance. Now due to the continuous efforts of the MLA, the crematorium has been upgraded. I urge the staff of the crematorium to take interest in its maintenance."

Corporator Lancelot Pinto said, "I was the corporator when this crematorium was inaugurated. MCC has taken a keen interest to upgrade this. I congratulate all on the occasion."

MCC commissioner Dr H N Gopalkrishna, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, Congress leaders T K Sudheer and Mohan Mendon were present.