In Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, a municipal worker once pushed a dog’s carcass in a nullah running along the side of the road. The carcass remained there for two days, being eaten away by flies, pests and rodents. What shocked me the most was that some 200 metres away, the rainwater from the same nullah was being used by a roadside chicken vendor for cleaning his meat.

I complained to the local authorities and got the chicken vendor removed from the spot. But my locality continues to see stray animals’ dead bodies lying around. I feel animals, whether stray or pets, deserve dignity in death. Sign my petition asking chief ministers and MPs of various states to set up crematoriums for animals in every district.

Most people in India live in areas with a lot of stray dogs and cats. Benevolent folks take care to feed the strays in their neighbourhoods and provide them with blankets and shelters during the winter and monsoon months. But when a stray dies, their body could remain on the spot for several days, before municipal officials pick it up and dump it in the area’s garbage dump, with all our other waste. This kind of treatment towards animals just breaks my heart.

Can’t we allocate a small space in our locality for cremating animals? Can’t we provide them the same dignity in death that all of us would want for ourselves?

This is not just an animal rights issue. Animal carcasses attract flies, pests and rodents. A dog’s carcass is slowly consumed by flies for days, until just the bones remain. This poses risks to the health and wellbeing of all residents of the neighbourhood.

We request all state governments of India to create one crematorium for animals in each district so that a common man, an NGO or even civic officials can pick up the dead animals across the district and give them a dignified cremation. It will only help India become more disciplined, cleaner, beautiful and environmentally conscious.

Utpal Khot