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Marakkara panchayat wants a public crematorium

Current panchayat president V. Madhusudhanan said the public crematorium will be opened soon after getting the nod from the collector.

MALAPPURAM: The Marakkara panchayat in the district is yet to develop a public crematorium though land for it was identified and marked two decades ago. The people have demanded its quick development though many crematoriums exist within the panchayat limits and its bordering areas. The panchayat has built a compound wall with a gate and a well in the land which lies adjacent to Vettichira-Chelakuthu road, a few km from NH 66. However, no other facilities have been set up.

"The governing councils had promised completion of the works during the past several years but nothing has materialised so far. The public have approached the panchayat authorities several times with their demand," said Mr P. Krishnan Nair, former panchayat president who led the land acquisition for the crematorium. Current panchayat president V. Madhusudhanan said the public crematorium will be opened soon after getting the nod from the collector. "The panchayat has sanctioned Rs 10 lakh to build facilities, including a gas crematorium, and works will be completed in a time- bound manner," he said.

There are two crematoriums for SC communities within the panchayat limit and a large one owned by SNDP which is around three km from the one to be opened soon. While the crematoriums managed by SC communities are exclusive ancestral properties, the SNDP crematorium is open to all but is situated on the border of Kottakkal municipality. "But these are not acceptable to many in the panchayat. Instead, they prefer to go to crematoriums in Shornur or Palakkad, around 50 km from Marakkara. This is not an affordable option for many who have only a few cents of land and the panchayat should open the public crematorium immediately," said Mr P. Krishnan, a retired school teacher and RSS worker.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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