Siliguri Municipal Corporation in West Bengal had constructed an electric crematorium within the city at Ramghat near Jalpaiguri More [1]. The crematorium named as ‘Kiranchandra crematorium’ is located within the densely populated colonies of the town. The resident around the crematorium have serious objection with it. |
| Name of conflict: | Electric crematorium at Siliguri, West Bengal, India |
| Country: | India |
| State or province: | West Bengal |
| Location of conflict: | Town-Siliguri |
| Accuracy of location | HIGH (Local level) |
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Infrastructure and Built Environment |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Urban development conflicts |
| Specific commodities: | Pollution due to cremation of dead bodies |
| Project details | The new furnace within the already existed crematorium is funded by the North Bengal Development Department of government of West Bengal. The estimated cost of the new establishment was about Rs 2.64 crore [1]. |
| Level of Investment for the conflictive project | $427,703 (Rs 2.64 crore) |
| Type of population | Urban |
| Affected Population: | 10,000-15,000 |
| Start of the conflict: | 2014 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) from India - Finance Siliguri Municipal Corporation from India - Executing agency |
| Relevant government actors: | Government of West Bengal West Bengal Pollution Control Board |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Congress Party (Darjeeling district Congress) Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM) |
| Intensity | MEDIUM (street protests, visible mobilization) |
| Reaction stage | Mobilization for reparations once impacts have been felt |
| Groups mobilizing: | Local government/political parties Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements |
| Forms of mobilization: | Boycotts of official procedures/non-participation in official processes Public campaigns Street protest/marches Occupation of buildings/public spaces |
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Air pollution, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation Potential: Waste overflow |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Other environmental related diseases, Other Health impacts |
| Other Health impacts | Respiratory problems |
| Project Status | Planned (decision to go ahead eg EIA undertaken, etc) |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Negotiated alternative solution Strengthening of participation Application of existing regulations |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | The residents of the locality are affected by air pollution and fly ash generated from the already existed crematorium. The proposed second crematorium will add more pollution into the locality and will increase their problem. So they wanted the whole crematorium to be shifted into the other place People had also grievances that their opinion had not been taken before a decision was taken to establish the second crematorium [2]. |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | No |
| Briefly explain: | People of the area wanted the crematorium to be shifted elsewhere. They are protesting in this issue since long. While protesting during the inauguration some of the protestors were beaten up by the minister. However, the minister, denied the allegation as baseless and political conspiracy against the development[5]. According to the protestors minister should not act so sharply to the agitators rather he should invite local people for a dialog for an amicable solution for the problem. Earlier, the Minister had assured that the electric crematorium will not lead to pollution as it will not generate fly ash. However, people are skeptical about the assurance [1]. |
| Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc) |
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| Contributor: | Swapan Kumar Patra |
| Last update | 18/08/2019 |
| Conflict ID: | 1586 |