Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the hospitality sector continues to bear the brunt of the disruption in supply of commercial LPG cylinders following the US-Israel war on Iran, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) crematoria near the foot of Chamundi Hill and at ‘K’ Block in Kuvempunagar currently have adequate stock of cylinders to keep the facilities running.
However, officials said that if the current situation continues without a normal supply, the environment-friendly LPG-based cremation facilities may have to be temporarily suspended.
They clarified that this would not significantly affect cremations, as both crematoria are also equipped with traditional firewood-based systems. MCC officials said, the existing LPG stock is expected to last for about one-and-a-half months.
At both crematoria, only one body can be cremated at a time using the LPG facility and the process requires at least one-and-a-half cylinders per cremation. However, most families prefer the crematorium near the foot of Chamundi Hill, while the Kuvempunagar facility handles only one or two cremations a week.
The crematorium at ‘K’ Block in Kuvempunagar also has a burial facility, with a portion of the premises reserved exclusively for burials.
Chandrashekar, contractor of the MCC crematorium near the foot of Chamundi Hill and his staff confirmed the officials’ statements regarding the availability of LPG stock.
Meanwhile, the Muktidhama Hi-tech Crematorium, built by the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) at Vijayanagar 4th Stage in 2016 and later handed over to MCC for operation and maintenance, has both LPG and electric cremation facilities.
The LPG-based system is currently non-functional due to machinery repairs, though the electric crematorium continues to operate.
Residents have blamed MCC officials for the delay in completing the repair works. The crematorium has two LPG-based units and six firewood-based units, but the LPG facility has remained defunct for a long time.
