Crematorium for non-Muslims in Sharjah

Work on a crematorium for Indians in Sharjah Industrial area will begin next month.

Indian Association Sharjah, an organisation representing the Indian community in the emirate, will invest Dh6 million in the project that is scheduled to be completed by January next year, said officials of the association.

The crematory will be built on land donated by the Sharjah Government. It will comprise all necessary facilities including two gas/electricity operated incinerator and a prayer room. This will be the first such facility in Sharjah.

The Indian Consulate and the Indian Business and Professional Council are associated with the project. Money will be raised mostly from donations, officials added.

“There is a crematorium in Jebel Ali, but inter-emirate transfer of dead bodies needs a lot of documentation, reports from police and the Criminal Investigation Department, health department, Indian Consulate, etc,” said Nissar Thalangara, President, Indian Association Sharjah.

“We realised the seriousness of the problem when our former president Madhavan died in a road accident. We had to run around to locate a proper crematorium.  Being a long-time resident of Sharjah, his family wanted to cremate him here," added Thalangara.

Several Hindu expatriates from the Sub-Continent have faced difficulties during unfortuate times. There have been complaints of delayed permission for taking bodies back home. This crematorium should hopefully solve all problems. The mortal remains of an expatriate holding a valid visa can be cremated in the crematorium. Local cremation require a notorized authorisation letter from the nearest relative, a fee of Dh1,100 at Sonapur, or Al Quoz Municipality office, Dh2,500 and a deposit of Dh500 at the crematarium (Jebel Ali) apart from other formalities.

The new crematorium  will be built on 2.16 hectares of land opposite the Sharjah Cement Factory. The two gas-fired incinerators will be able to cremate two bodies at a time and up to six per day. Both Hindus and Sikhs can avail of the facilities.

The crematorium will also comprise a condolence hall with a capacity to seat about 300 people, a lobby, two toilets and a garden. It will be ready for operation by January 2011.

A burial place for Christians is already complete in the same area. Half of the 2.16 hectares will comprise the crematorium for Hindus and Sikhs and the remaining half will be the grave yard for Christians.
 
The Sonapur crematorium has been closed for nearly a decade. The one in Jebel Ali accepts Christians, Buddists, Chsinese, Philippines and other non-Muslims for Dh2,500. However, the fee will be waived for poor families.