Dignified adieu to pets remains distant dream

Nagpur: Every single day, 8-10 animal carcasses are brought to the Bhandewadi dumping yard. By the end of the month, that number touches an average of 240. With no functional crematorium in place, the carcasses are buried in a designated patch of land — a grim reminder of a long-pending civic promise that has once again hit a wall.For years, animal lovers and pet owners have been demanding a dignified farewell facility for their deceased pets. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) finally sanctioned a dedicated animal crematorium at Bhandewadi, raising hopes of a humane and scientific solution for the issue. But the 5.57 crore project is incomplete after the contract of the Lucknow-based firm M/s Cecon Pollutech System Pvt Ltd was terminated due to repeated delays.
The tender was awarded on July 12, 2023, with a 12-month deadline. The total project cost included Rs4.85 crore as capital expenditure and 72 lakh towards 5 years of operation and maintenance. The contractor was granted two extensions, with the final completion deadline set for September 30, 2025. Yet, even after over two years, the project is incomplete. Ironically, around 70% of the civil work is complete. The incinerator plant is installed, the gas connection is ready, and much of the structural work is in place. However, critical components — including the dead animal storage facility, hanging racks for carcasses, guard room, and office block — remain incomplete. The unit, coming up on a 50x36 sq m plot, is designed with an incineration capacity of 500 tonnes per hour. Citing persistent non-compliance, municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari issued a termination notice on Dec 23, 2025 and the contract was scrapped on Feb 3, 2026.The civic body has already paid 1.80 crore to the firm. It recovered 19.70 lakh as penalty and imposed additional fines — including 100/day for delay — taking the total penalty amount to 35 lakh. Despite this, the project remains in limbo. Meanwhile, the city continues to bury hundreds of animals every month in Bhandewadi — the same dumping yard meant for municipal waste. The NMC has now floated a fresh tender to complete the pending civil and electromechanical works. It has also initiated electricity supply arrangements and paid Rs16 lakh to MSEDCL for power connectivity to the incineration facility. Until the new contractor delivers, pet owners in Nagpur will continue to part with their companions at a landfill.