India’s first biomass gasifier based crematorium, an eco-friendly and economical cremation system at Ambernath in Thane, is virtually dying. The system that extracts gas from wood chips to run, has been idle for the last four years, the apparent reason being a lack of will to operate it.

Now, the man who made it possible is thinking of selling it as scrap.

The neglect has made Sanat Chhaya (80) of Nagrik Seva Mandal, who was instrumental in procuring machinery and technology from Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), think of dismantling it and selling it as scrap, as the system cannot be taken apart and reassembled elsewhere.

“At least the money from selling it as scrap will yield funds that can be put to other philanthropic use,” said Chhaya, who is even ready to shell out Rs 10 lakh for reviving it.

Nagrik Seva Mandal installed the biomass gasifier based crematorium in 2002. This was after TERI developed a system for power generation in rural areas. The technology used wood chips for generating gas to run turbines. Impressed by the system, Chhaya wanted to use it for the crematorium. He sent several letters to TERI, which agreed to develop the crematorium based on the system at Ambernath.

It is economical too. As compared to conventional methods where 250 to 300 kg firewood is consumed, it uses 100 kg, that too, of wood chips. “Wood chips may be sourced from timber workshops that generate a large amount of waste wood. As the system is completely enclosed and the gas generated used entirely for the cremation, the pollution is minimal,” said Chhaya.

He recollects that the system had worked very well in the beginning. For the needy people, Nagrik Seva Mandal provided all materials at Rs 200 for those opting to use the system. Conventional methods cost a minimum of Rs 1,200. “It ran very well for the first two years recording about 70-odd cremations. Since then, it has not been used even once,” said Chhaya.

At his age, Chhaya is not able to run from pillar to post as he used to some years back. But he has not been sitting idle either. Chhaya now writes to everybody and anybody who could revive the gasifier based crematorium. “I have even offered Rs 10 lakh to the civic body for the crematorium provided they run the system, develop a garden at the crematorium and provide free cremation service. Unfortunately there is no response to even this offer, which I consider tempting,” said Chhaya.

Breaking it down seems the only way out. “It would pain me to tear it apart but it is more painful to see it serving no purpose,” said Chhaya.