Overview

• On July 9, a division bench led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe issued a notice to the BMC seeking an affidavit on work completed at the Deonar electric crematorium and set the next hearing for two weeks.
• The suo motu PIL was initiated on June 11 after the High Court took cognisance of a Loksatta report that flagged stalled construction at Deonar.
• Malad’s natural gas–based crematorium, operational since September 2023, and an electric facility at Mahalaxmi handle existing pet cremations but struggle to meet rising demand.
• BMC officials have attributed ongoing delays at Deonar to technical difficulties with the gas connection and anticipate further setbacks due to monsoon conditions.
• The Deonar plant is designed to process up to 50 kg per cycle, enabling simultaneous cremation of five animals weighing 10–12 kg each upon completion.