Cow dung cakes for cremation in Varanasi?

Lucknow: First time in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is all set to use cow dung cakes for cremation purposes for an eco-friendly environment. The idea has been mooted by the Kashi Mokshdayini Samiti which claims that the practice is already in use in cities like Nagpur, Jaipur, Rohtak, Jalgaon, Indore, Raipur, Kolkata  and  Rourkela. 

Arun  Wagla of the Samiti, said, “This is an eco-friendly system for cremation and will drastically reduce cutting of trees for the wood used in cremation. About 300 to 400 kilograms of wood is required for the cremation of one body. Around 100 bodies come every day for cremation at the Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi and you can imagine the amount of wood needed every day”.

He also stated the cow dung cremation would not only save the environment but would also generate employment. Explaining further, he said, “Cremation will take place in specially designed moulds that reduce burning time as well as pollution. The use of cow dung cakes will save lakhs of trees, thus protecting the environment. We are roping in gaushalas for supply of cow dung cakes”. 

The move, however, has met with stiff resistance from local wood sellers. The business of supplying wood for cremation runs into several crores of rupees. Nagarjuna, a local wood seller at Harishchandra Ghat, fears that the practice would put them out of business.