The Times of India              20.12.2013

KMC fixes cremation rates

KANPUR: Kanpur Municipal Corporation on Thursday fixed the rates of wood and last rites at Bhairoghat to ensure smooth functioning.

According to Rajeev Shukla, zonal officer of Zone - 4, and head of rate fixing committee wood for pyre would be available at Rs 350 for 40 kg and people would have to pay Rs 400 for performing last rites of the dead and cleaning the site. He said that during the last executive committee meeting corporators had claimed that people coming to perform last rites of their near and dear ones had to face a lot of problems due to dictatorial attitude of "Pandas and wood shopkeepers". Therefore nagar nigam should regularize the rates.

Municipal commissioner D K Singh had constituted a five member committee headed by Rajeev Shukla for the same. Other members of the committee were corporator Mahendra Pandey and Madan Babu along with three pandas. A meeting of committee was held on Thursday day at corporation building and rate was fixed with the consent of all.

According to new arrangement which would be implemented soon people would get a receipt for the wood purchased and rates would be displayed at the Bhairoghat. The rates would be revised every two years, said Shukla.