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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was...

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was flooded with a viral video of a group of men at Mira Road taking a piglet to a locality where goats were brought for religious sacrifice. Aparjita Ashish, the founder and director of Animal Climate and Health said, “It is an act of cruelty to kill animals for religious sacrifice but to protest against this they were harassing a baby pig. The poor pig was screaming for his life. So how’s that right? If you want to protest, protest peacefully.” Ashish also comments on the Apex Judiciary’s decision of euthanising terminally ill dogs, “If the dog has a serious illness like rabies and is in a lot of pain, with a doctor’s permission and in a peaceful manner, they should be euthanised. The apex court also spoke about the ABC or animal birth control which if done with correct procedures, can help bring down issues related to the stray dogs. Many times the process is wrong so the animals become subject to cruelty.” She even added that the strays should not be displaced as that will leave them confused. This is also an act of ill treatment. The occasion saw a large number of gatherers. According to the campaigners, being vegan is not just for protecting animals but also for the climate. Ashish explained, “If you see the name of our NGO, it is Animal Climate and Health. So we also talk about the impact of consuming animal products on the environment.” She gives an example of how methane gas is produced because of the dairy animals and how the food and resources to breed animals are so much that it affects the environment. The supporters who participated in the campaign said they also noticed many health benefits of going vegan. Anil Nagpal, a senior citizen and volunteer with the organisation said, “For many years I was going through ill health. I tried every treatment but nothing really helped much. But then someone convinced me to go vegan and since that time my health has improved drastically. After this many people in my circles who used to eat animal products have given up.” When asked what his protein sources are, he said, “I eat lentils and legumes. Vegetables also contain protein.” Ashish claimed that humans have an ego that makes them think they are above animals.

Tribal villages in Shahapur struggle to cremate their dead

 

Shahapur/Thane: Even as India celebrates the 78th year of Independence after the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav", a haunting reality persists just 73 kilometers from Mumbai. In Shahapur taluka of Thane district known for its dense tribal population over 328 villages and hamlets still lack proper cremation grounds, forcing residents to perform last rites in the open, under scorching sun or heavy rains, sometimes using tarpaulins to shield the deceased from the weather.

 

One such tragic incident recently unfolded in Shedrun village, where the body of a local resident, Daulat Pandurang Bhagat, had to be cremated in the open during a downpour. With no shelter or designated cremation site, the villagers were seen holding up a plastic tarpaulin over the funeral pyre to protect it from the rain. Despite previous approvals for cremation grounds in the village, internal disputes and administrative delays have halted the process.

 

Shahapur taluka comprises 110 gram panchayats, 227 revenue villages, and over 414 hamlets, yet basic infrastructure remains elusive. According to local reports:

  • 328 villages still perform open-air cremations.

  • Only 31 locations have protective walls around cremation sites, while 681 sites lack any boundary protection.

  • Electricity is unavailable at 680 cremation grounds, forcing villagers to conduct funerals by lantern light.

  • Water access is missing at 654 sites, available only at 59.

  • 229 sites are in dilapidated condition, while only 231 are considered usable.

 

These figures were confirmed by data from the Nagar Panchayat administration, revealing a disturbing pattern of neglect and underdevelopment in essential public facilities.

 

While speaking to The Perfect Voice, Shahapur Tehsildar Parmeshwar Kasule, said the issue in Shedrun, stating that 4 gunthas of land within the village gaothan has been earmarked for a cremation ground. However, due to conflicting opinions among villagers some opposing the use of pasture (gairan) land fearing future scarcity — the project has not progressed.

 

When asked about the larger issue of cremation ground shortages in 328 villages, Tehsildar Kasule downplayed the situation, stating “only Shedrun has a problem, the rest are fine”, a claim strongly disputed by village leaders and social activists.

 

Local leaders like Sharad Mogre, district organizer of Shahapur Taluka Sarpanch Association, noted that requests for funds and proposals were sent to the Zilla Parishad’s Public Works Department over two and a half years ago but were ignored.

 

Bharat Ubale, former director of the Shahapur Agricultural Produce Market Committee, labeled the recent Shedrun incident “deeply unfortunate,” urging the administration to urgently allocate funds and resolve the cremation ground crisis.

 

Activists like Vasant Pansare, President of the Prahar organization, highlighted the even more distressing fact that some villagers must cross rivers and streams during the monsoon to carry bodies to remote cremation sites due to a complete lack of roads.

 

That such a grim reality exists in the Deputy CM’s own district is sparking widespread outrage. Residents and activists are now calling on state and district-level authorities to act urgently and with compassion, to ensure dignified last rites for every citizen, regardless of geography or socio-economic status.

 

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