Grieving family members today were left distraught at Pashupati Aryaghat as daily-wage workers, including firewood collectors and those who perform cremations, went on strike.

As many as 50 workers boycotted cremation services to protest Pashupati Area Development Trust’s decision to start a shop under the Pashupati Service Users’ Cooperative Limited from January 15 to sell cremation ritual materials to the kin of deceased persons whose body are brought to the aryaghat for final rites.

PADT’s move comes in the wake of growing complaints against an old cremation service shop that has been operating for years. The PADT move to start a new shop is aimed at breaking the monopoly of the old shop and providing funeral materials to mourners at a cheaper and competitive price. The agitating workers have been accused of ‘receiving commission’ from the old shop.

Taranath Subedi, PADT Treasurer, said the workers boycotted their services today demanding that PADT withdraw its decision to start a new shop. PADT has formed a panel to study the demands put forth by the agitators.

After today’s strike, family members and relatives of the deceased had to perform funeral rites on their own.

The family members and relatives of the deceased arranged firewood, ghee and other materials by themselves and performed the final rites of their loved ones with the assistance of temple officials.

Subedi said PADT was trying to regulate the cremation rituals and address agitators’ concerns.

The agitating workers have also demanded that PADT make necessary arrangements to appoint them as permanent and salaried staff and provide health and life insurance besides guaranteeing their provident fund and gratuity. Subedi said the old cremation service shop and the workers were found to be cheating the mourners by overcharging them.

“The Pashupati Service Users’ Cooperative Limited tried to open a new shop to supply cremation services and materials at a reasonable and competitive price for mourners,” he informed.

On average, 40 bodies are brought to the aryaghat for cremation daily.

Published on: 14 January 2015 | The Himalayan Times