Kharghar: Outraged by the appalling state of the Hindu crematorium in Kharghar Sector-14, activist Prayesh Gogate has issued a stern warning to the Panvel Municipal Corporation, declaring that he will launch an indefinite hunger strike from March 23, 2025, if immediate improvements are not made. He has held the corporation fully responsible for the neglect and has vowed to protest until necessary changes are implemented.
The crematorium, which serves as the final resting place for countless individuals, has been plagued by poor maintenance and a lack of basic amenities. Families mourning their loved ones are being charged for essential ritual materials and even for using the gas-based cremation system, adding financial strain during their time of grief. The site also lacks proper seating, has filthy and unusable toilets, and provides no access to clean drinking water, forcing mourners to endure additional hardship.
Gogate, an active member of Bharat Raksha Manch’s Konkan region and a staunch advocate of Hindu traditions, has demanded that all necessary materials for last rites be provided free of charge, that seating and sanitation facilities be upgraded, and that proper drinking water arrangements be made. If the Panvel Municipal Corporation fails to act within 20 days, he has made it clear that his hunger strike will go forward, placing full accountability on the civic body.

With mounting pressure from the community, the municipal corporation is now under scrutiny, as residents demand urgent action to restore dignity and proper facilities at the crematorium.