Crematorium for Dogs in Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 22: In death it found honour and dignity. No matter if the day came only after kicking the bucket. But every dog does have its day! And if you think a saying or an adage is being talked about, then you cannot be farthest from the truth. Man's best friend will soon embark on its last journey with dignity and in an eco-friendly manner.

Delhi is all set to have a first-of-its-kind Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) crematorium for the city's pet and stray dogs at Karawal Nagar in northeast Delhi and a one-acre plot for the purpose has been identified by the Municipal Corportion of Delhi. A CNG-based incinerator would be placed at the funeral parlour, which would reduce the body of a canine into ashes in 30 minutes.

At present, the city has no scientific way for disposal of dogs that have died of suspected or diagnosed rabies and other diseases. The dead dogs now are disposed of at sanitary landfill sites and in the few electrical crematoria in the Capital, some of which are not even functioning.

According to MCD Director of Veterinary Sciences R B S Tyagi, ''We were not happy with the manner in which these animals were being carried all the way to the border areas of the Capital and disposed in an unscientific manner. We had been looking at various plans previously and the proposed arrangement, once ready, would go a long way in disposing of animals in a clean and hygienic way.'' ''Due to a lack of space, the scheme had been hanging fire for a long time, but now the plot for the purpose has been earmarked, soon work will start on it,'' he added.

Some experts on Vaastu Shastra, the traditional Indian architecture and design system, have also been identified to finalise the design of the crematorium.

Mr Tyagi said,'' People like raising pets and dog is one of their favourites. When pet dogs die, people bury them anywhere and put some salt over their bodies. But after some time other animals dig up those places and maul the body of the dead dog, which in turn spreads foul odour. It was the need of the hour to have such a cemetery for dogs.'' ''Those stray dogs, who die in road accidents, will be cremated for free,'' he informed.

UNI