New Delhi: In an attempt to identify the causes of the growing level of pollution in the nation and control it, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday questioned the century-old tradition of cremation by Hindus.

It said that the procedure to cremate human remains in open area leads to air pollution and subsequently it also effects natural water resources.

Focusing on the high level of pollution in Delhi, the Tribunal asked the Union Environment Ministry and Delhi government to initiate programmes to provide alternative modes of cremation.

Stressing on the environment factor, a bench headed by Justice UD Salvi on Tuesday said that there was a need to adopt environment-friendly methods like electric crematoriums and use of CNG and change the “mindset of the people”.

“The issue involves question of faith and circumstances in which the people live, … It is, therefore, the responsibility of the men who lead, particularly religious leaders, to steer the faith in a direction so as to change the mindset of people practising their faith and make them adopt practices which are environment-friendly”.

“It is also the responsibility of the government to facilitate the making of the mindset of the citizens as well as to provide environment-friendly alternatives for cremation to its citizenry,” the bench said, directing authorities, including civic bodies, to educate the public in this regard, according to media reports.

The green panel further said the traditional means of cremation caused adverse impact on environment and dispersal of ashes in the river led to water pollution.

The NGT was hearing a plea by advocate DM Bhalla who had said that cremation of humans by conventional methods added to air pollution, therefore, alternative modes of cremation needed to be used.
Bhalla contended that cremation of human remains by traditional method involving wood has serious impact on the environment as “the forest cover is sacrificed and obnoxious gases emanated from the burning of human mortal remains pollute the air.”

Alternative practice

According to some environmentalists, the ceremony of burning human bodies using wood, with the belief that it releases the soul, is actually a threat to the environment.

According to a report, in the whole year, around 50 to 60 million trees are burned during cremations in India.

Also, cremation in open grounds generate large amounts of ashes, which are later submerged into rivers and water bodies, especially the Ganga river.

However, in order to tackle the environmental pollution, the concept of electric cremation was commissioned in India in January 1989, as a part of the Ganga Action Plan..

The situation in the nation is evident while a few solutions are available. It remains now to see if people are willing to bring about a slight change in their traditional practices and make use of these solutions for a better cause.