JHAPA: An electric crematorium has been constructed at Kankai Ghat in Kankai Municipality-4, Jhapa, at a total cost of Rs 23 million.
The facility, located on the eastern bank of the Kankai River, was built with financial support from the Koshi Province Government, Kankai Municipality, and various donors.
Of the total investment, the Koshi Province Government contributed Rs 20 million, Kankai Municipality provided Rs 2 million, and an additional Rs 1 million was raised through donor support.
Mayor of Kankai Municipality, Rajendra Kumar Pokharel, stated that an agreement has been reached with the provincial government for the operation of the electric crematorium.
“We have already prepared operational guidelines,” he said, adding, “Preparations are underway to formally inaugurate the facility within a week.”
Gopal Kharel, General Secretary of the Kankai Ghat Management Committee and Coordinator of the Electric Crematorium Infrastructure Construction Committee, informed that the construction was completed by an Indian technical team, which has since returned after completing the project.
During a test run recently, the body of 80-year-old Hemati Rajbanshi of Panthapada, Jhapa Rural Municipality, was cremated using the facility.
According to Kharel, it takes approximately 50 minutes to cremate a body in the electric system, compared to three to three and a half hours using traditional firewood.
In the fiscal year 2024/25, the Koshi Province Government allocated Rs 20 million in its budget for the construction of the crematorium in coordination with the local government.
The completion of the project fulfills a long-standing demand from the local community for an electric crematorium on the banks of the Kankai River. Established in 2067 BS, the Kankai Ghat currently houses five crematoriums.
The introduction of the electric facility is expected to save firewood, reduce cremation time, and contribute significantly to environmental conservation.
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