Mirzapur (UP), Sep 16 (PTI) The Mirzapur district administration has cancelled the contract for management of a crematorium following protests by local communities who are traditionally engaged in cremation work and depend on it for their livelihoods, officials said Monday.
The crematorium, located in Bhogoan village under the Cone Block along the banks of the Ganga, was constructed under a central government scheme. Its management was awarded to a private party, which charged fees for each body brought for cremation.
However, the Dom and Dharikar communities opposed the decision, arguing that it would negatively impact their earnings, and demanded the cancellation of the contract. Their protest, which included a hunger strike, lasted for 11 days, said an official.
Following the protests, the management contract of the crematorium, which was handed over to the third party on March 15, was cancelled on September 11, according to a letter issued by Surendra Kumar Verma, the additional chief officer of the Zila Panchayat, Mirzapur.
Confirming the development, Sub-divisional Magistrate (Sadar) Asharam Verma told PTI: “The villagers have been given assurance that they can hold cremations in their traditional way as they were doing.” He further said there was no interference in their traditional way of cremation but only they were given modern facilities for which the charge was being taken, which was unacceptable to them.
Zila Panchayat Chairman Rajiv Kanaujiya said, “Had the villagers or the Dom and Dharikar communities opposed the bidding process at that time, the situation might have been different.” Kanaujiya said the rural local government body will not provide the newly-constructed area, including its platform or building, for cremation.
“Villagers are free to cremate bodies wherever they prefer,” he told PTI.
Kanaujiya said if the villagers had raised objections during the bidding process, the management would not have been assigned to an outside agency.
“The bidding was conducted in an open meeting of the Gram Panchayat,” he said.
Anil Singh, husband and representative of the Cone Block Pramukh Meenakshi Singh, told PTI, “The cremation ghat was well-constructed with amenities including a waiting room, cremation platform, parking area, deep freezer, and generator.” Singh added that the district administration initially wanted the Cone Block to manage and maintain the crematorium, but it lacked the necessary resources.
“As a result, the management was put up at auction by the Zila Panchayat, and the highest bidder was awarded the contract,” he said. PTI COR KIS KVK KVK
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