Smrithipatham Gas Crematorium, Near Mavoor Road, Kozhikode | Photo credit: K Ragesh
A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage caused by the war in West Asia is shutting down gas crematoria in Kerala, with at least a few in Kasaragod and Kozhikode districts facing operational hiccups.
Kozhikode Corporation authorities said that cremation will have to be decentralized using traditional methods if the required LPG supplies are not available by March 13. Only one cremation took place on Thursday (March 12, 2026) at the company-run Smrithipadham crematorium near Mavoor Road due to shortage of LPG. Bookings were also not accepted at the West Hill crematorium, citing non-availability of LPG, forcing those interested in the service to look elsewhere for a traditional cremation service.
“At Smrithipadham, we cremate at least 95 bodies a month, but in the current situation we will not be able to extend the service as usual. We cannot take bookings without ensuring adequate storage of LPG cylinders in advance,” said Satheesh Babu, Health Inspector, Kozhikode Corporation. He said the corporation authorities have taken all possible measures to address the concerns by Friday. The Smrithipadham has four furnaces each connected to 12 cylinders. This means that 48 cylinders are needed at any given time.
Deputy Mayor S. Jayasree said on Thursday that the Corporation Secretary had submitted the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. to the authorities. (BPCL) request to consider cremation as an essential service and address the shortage as soon as possible.
An employee at the gas crematorium said a few more cylinders had been arranged by Thursday evening to allow cremations already ordered to take place on Friday.
A senior finance department official said the issue was resolved immediately.
Nationwide issue
“As the shortage has affected the operation of several such facilities across the state, the state government is also happy to address it with the support of major contractors,” he said.
The gas crematorium in Kadumeni ward of East Eleri grama panchayat in Kasaragod was also facing problems due to shortage of LPG. The operation of the crematorium was suspended on Wednesday after a local distributor in Cherupuzha refused to supply cylinders citing restrictions related to the Centre’s directive to prioritize domestic distribution of LPG. However, the service was restored after the panchayat authorities approached the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) regional office in Kozhikode for urgent intervention. Based on the order of the IOC office, the required pressure cylinders were delivered on Thursday, thus resuming the operation of the crematorium.
Joseph Mutholi, vice president of East Eleri grama panchayat, told The Hindu that the crematorium served residents of Balal, East Eleri and West Eleri grama panchayats and Cherupuzha. He said that for many residents in the region, the Kadumeni crematorium is the only practical option.
“While Muslim and Christian families generally bury their dead and some wealthy Hindu families perform cremations on private land, those belonging to Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities and economically weaker sections are largely dependent on the panchayat crematorium,” he said.
Mr Mutholi said the crematorium ran fully on LPG and used six cylinders at a time, with at least three requiring refilling every week.
Published – 12 March 2026 20:56 IST
