By Pranchal SrivastavaLUCKNOW: The only electric crematorium of the city at Baikunth Dham has been lying defunct for the past two weeks.Electric cremation costs between Rs 300-500 as compared to the traditional way of wooden pyre which costs over Rs 4,000. Also, there is growing demand for it because it is eco-friendly.In the past two weeks, seven bodies were brought to the electric crematorium, but only one could be cremated. When TOI checked the crematorium’s logbook, it was found that the machine has been repaired twice this month. The electric crematorium is managed by Lucknow Municipal Corporation.Machine’s operator Shyamu Singh said the crematorium was closed for repairing on September 2 and was restarted on September 12. But three days later, it again developed a snag.The machine has two platforms for cremation.With the electric machine lying defunct, the waiting at the wooden pyre platforms has become longer.At least 15 bodies remain in the queue with average waiting of three to four hours.Archit Srivastava, who had come for the funeral of his friend at Baikunth Dham, said, “When we brought the body to the electric crematorium its entry channel was shut and a large lock hung on it. The crematorium staff told us that the machine was out of order. So we had to go to the adjacent crematorium.”LMC commissioner Indramani Tripathi said, “The machines of electric crematorium are five years old, so breakdown is frequent. Since the machines are manufactured in Kanpur mechanics have to wait for the tools to start the repair.”Chief engineer at LMC’s rubbish removal department, Ram Nagina Tripathi, refuted claims that the machine has been lying defunct. “There was a snag in the machine but it was repaired. Now, it’s functional,” Tripathi said.“A new machine at the crematorium will come by September end,” he added.

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