Gondia(Maharashtra): The family of Naresh Tarjule, who passed away on June 9, had to wait for many hours before his body could be consigned to the flames in Gondia's local crematorium. His relatives kept pleading with forest officials for firewood to cremate the dead as the local crematorium lacked firewood, but in vain.
Naresh Tarjule passed away on June 9 and the rituals for his cremation had to be carried out on the same day. Given the grave situation wherein there was no firewood and no facility for electric cremation in the crematorium, the family members of Naresh rushed to the nearest forest department office to collect firewood.
The family, however, got no respite as the forest officer said no timber was available at the depot. The relatives alleged that forest officer B T Durge advised them to get it from the Navegaon Bandh depot.
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It is to be noted that the Navegaon Bandh depot lies at a distance of 15 km from Gondia.
The agony of Naresh's family thus continued as it was neither a wise attempt nor a financially feasible one for them to travel such a long distance and bring timber from there.
Left with no other option, the family members moved to Territorial Forest Department office with their complaint and demand, but were disappointed. This approach, however, made a stir in the forest department office.
Eventually, local MLA Manohar Chandrikapure came to the family's rescue. The issue was settled over a telephonic conversation with Deputy Forest Ranger Yuvraj and Assistant Conservator of Forest Gotefode who arranged firewood for Naresh's cremation. After this, the body was cremated.
