People from 52 villages in Murbad taluka have never had a crematorium. They are compelled to perform the last rites of their loved ones in the open. This is especially trying in the monsoon because the rain douses the fire and bodies remain half burnt, forcing the grieving families to relight the funeral pyre. For some villages, the wait has stretched as long as 15 years, a report in this paper said.

A local who was a former sarpanch has not worn footwear for the past 10 years in order to raise awareness on the issue. While one official was sceptical that such a large number of villages do not have a crematorium, it is certain that people are suffering and feel hard done by when the government turns a deaf ear to their pleas.