Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), May 30 (IANS): After the surge in bodies found either floating in rivers or shallow buried on the banks of Ganga during the Covid peak, the Prayagraj district administration has decided to set up seven new electric crematoriums in the district.

Of these, six would be within the municipal limits while the seventh would be built in Shringverpur, on the outskirts of the district.

Prayagraj, at present, has two electric crematoriums, one each at Daraganj and Shankarghat.

PMC's public relation officer and chief tax officer, P K Mishra, said, "PMC is working on having six additional electric crematoriums within the municipal limits." The proposed crematoriums will come up at Kanaipur, Kerala Bagh area, Arail at Naini , Mahewa, Phaphamau and at Chatnag (Jhunsi).

The proposal for constructing an electric crematorium at Shringverpur bears significance since it has religious significance and the number of burials during the second wave was much higher, compared to other sites. It went against the norms laid down under National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The district administration has decided to make the locals aware of the ill-effects of the practice in terms of pollution and NGT guidelines and provide them with a viable alternative in electric crematoriums.

According to official sources, the revenue department team has identified around 500 square meters land for the crematorium and the proposal would be sent to the district magistrate on behalf of the Panchayati Raj department.

District panchayati raj officer (DPRO), Renu Srivastava, said, "The papers are being prepared and the same would be submitted to the concerned officials and once the approval is granted, we will begin work."

The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) held a virtual meeting recently where a decision to this effect was taken.