A vast majority of Indians bid farewell to their loved ones through cremation. The open-pyre, still the dominant method, consumes vast quantities of firewood—often the equivalent of one and a half to two mature trees per cremation. Beyond the ecological toll, this practice contributes to air pollution, ash disposal problems, and high costs for families. In an era where forests are already under stress, continuing with open pyres without alternatives risks both environmental and social sustainability.
The people powering the change
At the heart of this movement stands Dr Ramji Jaimal—“Flowerman of India.” As Project Head (Environment & Sustainability) at AAPSI, he travels village to village during the non-flower season, mobilising local donations and getting green crematoriums built with community ownership. Sunil Gulati, IAS (Retd.), our Haryana cadre batchmate, and AAPSI backstop this effort—standardising designs, training operators, and sustaining the initiative financially and organisationally (click for Project Report).
A practical and dignified alternative
The low-cost green crematorium is a simple, effective design: a brick-lined chamber with insulation, guided airflow and a stack, plus rails and trays for safe handling. Once the chamber reaches about 760–780°C, only ~60 kg of biofuel—cow-dung logs or other biomass—are needed for a complete cremation; subsequent cremations in a hot chamber may require even less. The body’s natural adipose tissue contributes heat, keeping fuel demand minimal. Families perform the same rites; the change is simply better combustion.
For grieving families, the difference is humane and immediate. Instead of spending several thousand rupees on wood and additives, a cremation costs about ₹1,100 in biofuel. Ashes are typically ready in two to three hours, smoke is drastically reduced, and the rites continue smoothly even in rain or wind.
What the Forest Research Institute (FRI) observed
An independent assessment by FRI, Dehradun, examined operating green crematoriums and recorded the practical advantages. The chambers’ triple-wall build—outer brick, a mud-insulation layer, and an inner firebrick lining—conserves heat; movable firebrick trays simplify loading and respectful ash collection; and controlled airflow supports steady, efficient combustion. In real-world use, around 60 kg of biomass was sufficient compared with several hundred kilograms of wood in open pyres. The result: markedly lower visible smoke, far less ash, and reliable operation in foul weather—key to public acceptance and neighbourhood comfort.
A note on Varanasi’s cremation grounds
Varanasi’s Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats are among India’s most revered, with cremations proceeding round the clock. Families prefer them for their spiritual significance and the belief that last rites here aid liberation. On busy days the ghats handle large volumes—ranging from dozens to well over a hundred cremations—placing a premium on clean combustion and crowd comfort. The city could earmark a few platforms for pilot green cremations alongside traditional pyres, demonstrating lower smoke on the riverfront while fully preserving rites and sentiment.
Winter is here: a fast, credible smog action
As winter sets in and Delhi–NCR braces for dust and smog debates, one immediately doable step is to cut cremation emissions by ~85% through green chambers. Rolling these out signals that the State is serious about near-term, real-world pollution reduction—without litigation or long construction cycles. Funding should not be an obstacle: CAMPA explicitly supports wood-saving interventions and India holds over ₹1 lakh crore in CAMPA balances; Pollution Control Boards maintain dedicated pollution-abatement funds; and Municipal and Panchayati Raj budgets can top up small capital needs. What is needed is intent and administrative will. The model is proven: ~750 green crematoriums in Punjab & Haryana over 18 years, and six in Delhi operating for the last four years—Sanatan Dharma-compliant, community-accepted, and low-smoke. Bureaucratic and political focus can scale this rapidly.
The environmental and economic arithmetic
Each open pyre consumes 400–600 kg of wood. Green cremations cut that by over 85%, saving about 1.5–2 trees per body. Across even a small district, the cumulative benefit translates into thousands of trees left standing, cleaner neighbourhood air, calmer relations between cremation grounds and residents, and fewer smoke-related complaints.
Capital cost is modest—about ₹4 lakh per unit—and recoverable within months through a blend of Panchayat or municipal funds, CSR support, and small community donations. Unlike electric or CNG crematoria, which demand tens of lakhs to crores in capital and depend on reliable utilities, green crematoriums are universally deployable, low-maintenance, and operator-friendly after just a day of training. Under Dr Jaimal’s field leadership and with AAPSI’s organisational backing, more than 750 units have already been facilitated across Punjab and Haryana. Local gaushalas and self-help groups can sustain hollow cow-dung log supply chains—creating livelihoods alongside environmental benefits.
What “green cremation” looks like on the ground
Families light the fire and may perform Kapal Kriya through a small window; ashes are collected respectfully from the tray. Dewatered, hollow cow-dung sticks—made locally by SHGs/gaushalas using a dewatering unit, a stick-making machine and drying racks—ignite cleanly (often with a clear, steady flame) and avoid the wet-wood problem that inflates both smoke and cost. A compact local fuel ecosystem can be set up for ~₹4 lakh, ensuring dependable supply and village-level incomes.
Why this mix outperforms “big-ticket” solutions
Electric or CNG furnaces have a role in high-throughput urban centres, but they come with significantly higher capital outlay, specialised O&M, and grid/gas dependencies. The green chamber is an order of magnitude cheaper, resilient in poor weather, and easy to keep running everywhere. A sensible public strategy equips a few city hubs with electric/CNG while rolling out green chambers across most PRIs and ULBs for universal coverage.
Strengthening the case: dignity in law and in practice
In a recent suo motu matter, the Chhattisgarh High Court affirmed that a dignified death and cremation are integral to Article 21’s right to life. It issued a practical, district-ready checklist: sanitation drives and repairs; safe approach roads and fencing; water, lighting, toilets and shelters; seating and signage; a caretaker with a helpline; record-keeping; budget allocation; and functional cremation infrastructure—including provision for cleaner combustion and designated ash-immersion areas. The message is unambiguous: every body “deserves a respectable send-off,” and neglect of cremation grounds is a failure of State duty. Green crematoriums offer a ready, affordable route to comply—without disrupting ritual.
Policy nudges that respect tradition
This shift should be promotional, not prohibitory. Traditional open pyres can continue, while States and municipalities gently encourage greener options:
Optional endorsement on death certificates when an approved low-smoke chamber is used.
Small family incentive or fee waiver (₹500–₹1,000) for choosing green cremation.
Improved ash-immersion facilities with settling/filtration to protect rivers—now easier thanks to lower ash volumes.
Public awareness explaining that rituals remain unchanged; only the combustion architecture is improved.
Encouragement of organ donation and body donation as part of a broader ethic of dignity in death.
Towards a national framework
India now needs a central enabling law or model rules to accelerate adoption, while preserving choice. The framework should:
Recognise low-cost green cremation as a dignified, ritual-compatible method.
Mandate minimum siting and amenity standards for all cremation grounds.
Provide model DPRs/SOPs, technical specs for brick chambers and stacks, and a one-day training curriculum.
Create matching grants for PRIs/ULBs and recognition for NGOs demonstrating outcomes (trees saved, emissions reduced, grievance rates falling).
Early-moving States can begin under existing municipal and panchayat laws—issuing works orders, budgeting small grants, and filing progress affidavits—while the Centre promulgates model rules.
A call to action
While the Green Hydrogen and other high-tech national initiatives are laudable and necessary for India’s energy future, it is equally vital to remember that everyday, grassroots innovations can deliver powerful results here and now. India’s farewell rituals are sacred, but they need not be destructive. Green crematoriums—an appropriate technology solution reflecting the timeless slogan “small is beautiful” popularised by E. F. Schumacher—have already been proven in the field and validated by independent assessment. They save trees, clear the air, and lower costs, all while keeping every rite intact.
If every district commits to ten green crematoriums this year, financed through State and PRI grants, CAMPA/PCB funds, and CSR, India can add thousands of dignified, low-smoke platforms within months.
The blueprint is ready (list of projects already undertaken). The funding exists. Only intent must follow. Guided by Dr Ramji Jaimal’s relentless village-to-village mobilisation—and supported by AAPSI—we can make the final journey both sacred and sustainable, honouring the departed and the living world that sustains us.