Fix Animal Crematorium -A Crisis of Dignity, Public Health, and Environmental Sustainability
- The CJ Memorial Trust
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Enough is enough, GBA.
Also taken up in a meeting with Dy CM, Shri DK Shivakumar .
16 Oct 2025
To,
The Honourable Minister for Animal Husbandry,
The Development Commissioner, Animal Husbandry,
The Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department,
The Honourable Deputy Chief Minister & Bengaluru Development Minister, Shri. D.K. Shivakumar,
The Commissioner, Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA)/Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP),
And all other concerned officials.
Cc:
Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department,
BBMP Chief Engineer (Health & Solid Waste Management),
BBMP Assistant Director (Animal Husbandry).
Dear Sirs/Madam,
Subject: Urgent and Critical: Seven-Month Non-Functional Animal Crematorium in Bangalore - A Crisis of Dignity, Public Health, and Environmental Sustainability
It is over 7 months since the animal crematorium, started a decade ago Nov 2015, has been functional. It is a massive and completely ignored crisis of both city health and compassion.
We, the concerned citizens and animal welfare advocates of Bengaluru, are writing to you today with a profound sense of anguish, frustration, and collective pain regarding the complete and utter breakdown of the city's only public electric crematorium for animals.
For over a decade, citizens have fought to establish and maintain a dignified, scientific, and sustainable system for the disposal of deceased companion animals and community animals. After years of effort, a facility was finally established, and until recently, it served the city admirably. We had even progressed to requesting a 24/7 service and three additional crematoriums to meet the needs of a growing, pet-loving city. While the approval for three new facilities a year ago was a welcome step, the glacial pace of their implementation is, in itself, a source of great disappointment.
However, what we are facing today is nothing short of a humanitarian and environmental crisis. Since March of this year, the existing crematorium has been completely non-functional. First, due to an electrical fault, and subsequently, due to the catastrophic collapse of the chimney. For seven long months, this essential civic amenity has lain in ruins. And while animal lovers have scrabbled, landfills pile up rotting carcasses.
Despite numerous follow-ups, letters, and reminders, the response has been a textbook case of bureaucratic paralysis. While we acknowledge that a tender for a new chimney has been released, thanks to the efforts of Smt. Uma Mahadevan, the core issue remains: two critical repairs are stuck between two different departments, with a tragic lack of ownership and coordination. The result is an endless cycle of "passing the buck," while the city suffers.
The consequences of this neglect are heart-breaking and far-reaching:
The Heartbreak of Pet Parents: The most immediate tragedy is the emotional devastation faced by bereaved pet owners. To lose a beloved family member and then be turned away from the only facility that could provide a respectful farewell is an indignity no one should endure. The image of a grieving person desperately searching for a final resting place for their dog is a stain on our city's conscience. In addition the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals specifically stresses the need for animal cremation.
The Public Health and Environmental Catastrophe: Where are the hundreds of animal carcasses from shelters, hospitals, and homes going? The BBMP's vague suggestion that some human crematoriums might accept animals has no clarity on procedure, cost, or contact persons, leaving citizens more confused. The reality is that most people, unable to afford the exorbitant ₹10,000-₹15,000 demanded by private burials (compared to the nominal crematorium's ₹500 fee), are forced to resort to unscientific burials or, worse, dumping in landfills and garbage dumps. In addition, faced with no choice, animal shelters, clinics & hospitals and road kills are also being piled into landfills .Is this really what we want? Or will allow?
The environmental impact is staggering. The decomposition of hundreds of animal carcasses over seven months poses a severe threat to groundwater contamination through leachate, attracts scavengers, and becomes a breeding ground for pathogens. This is a direct assault on public health, hygiene, and the very principle of "One Health" that integrates human, animal, and environmental well-being.
The Socio-Economic Injustice: The current situation punishes those with limited means. The crematorium was a vital, affordable service. Its breakdown is not just an inconvenience; it is a failure to provide a basic, dignified service to all citizens, regardless of their economic status.
Let us be clear: this is not merely a "sentimental" issue. It is a critical matter of civic infrastructure, public health, and environmental sustainability. The fact that a simple repair job—fixing the electrical system and replacing a chimney—has been pending for over seven months reflects a deeply dismissive attitude not only towards animals and those who care for them but also towards the health of the city and its people.
We are forced to ask: Is it only because they are "just animals" that this issue is treated with such apathy?
Enough is enough. The damage of the last seven months is irreversible, but the ongoing crisis must stop today.
We demand the following immediate actions:
Immediate Repair and Reopening: The BBMP Engineering and Maintenance departments must be directed to coordinate immediately and ensure the crematorium is fully repaired and operational within a strict, publicly declared deadline.
Clear Accountability: A single nodal officer must be appointed with overall responsibility for this facility to prevent future buck-passing.
Transparency on Interim Measures: The BBMP must immediately issue a clear, public directive on the interim procedure for animal carcass disposal, detailing the designated crematoriums, contact persons, procedures, and subsidized costs.
Expedited Construction of New Facilities: The work on the three approved crematoriums kindly passed in assembly , thanks to MLA Rizwan Arshad’s concern, must be expedited and a clear timeline for their completion must be shared with the public.
We believe it should not be necessary for citizens to seek legal intervention for an issue that is so clearly within the administrative purview of the BBMP and the Animal Husbandry Department as well as One Health We have shown patience for seven months. That patience has now run out.
We look forward to your immediate and decisive action to resolve this stressful, tragic, and unsustainable crisis.
Sincerely,
Priya Chetty-Rajagopal
On behalf of the Citizens and Animal Welfare Community of Bengaluru
Supporting Research and Information
Here are some links and resources that support the arguments made in the letter,
News Articles on the Delays and Issues with Pet Crematoriums in Bangalore:
https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/high-burial-cost-strains-pet-parents-3594354
https://thesoftcopy.in/2023/10/03/demand-for-pet-crematoria-goes-up/
Environmental Impact of Carcass Disposal in Landfills:
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India: The CPCB guidelines on Bio-Medical Waste management classify animal carcasses as a specific category that requires incineration or deep burial in designated premises to prevent groundwater contamination and the spread of disease.
Scientific Research: Studies have shown that leachate from landfills containing organic matter like animal carcasses can contaminate groundwater with heavy metals, pathogens, and high levels of nitrogen (ammonia). A key search term is "environmental impact of animal carcass disposal in landfills". This will lead to papers and reports from environmental agencies worldwide.
Online Petition:
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