The Bombay High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the insufficient availability of electric crematoriums for pet and stray animals in Mumbai and directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file an affidavit on the progress of its under-construction facility at Deonar.
A bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Manjusha Deshpande is hearing the matter, which was taken up suo motu last month after the court noted a media report highlighting delays in constructing a pet crematorium at the Deonar slaughterhouse.
During the hearing, advocate Oorja Dhond, appearing for the BMC, informed the court that a crematorium was operational at Mahalaxmi in south Mumbai, and another facility was available in Malad in the western suburbs. She sought time to file a detailed affidavit on the Deonar project’s status.
The bench, however, sought clarity on whether the Malad facility was functional and posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks, instructing the civic body to file its affidavit by then.
According to the news report cited by the court, the BMC had set up a natural gas-based crematorium for animals in Malad in September 2023. Encouraged by the public response, the corporation announced plans to build a second crematorium at Deonar, but the project has faced delays.
The planned Deonar facility is designed to handle the cremation of five animals at a time, with a total capacity of around 50 kg—suitable for pets and small stray animals weighing approximately 10–12 kg each.
