THE SURAT Municipal Corporation (SMC) will – for the first time in the district – set up a dog cremation facility. The centre will be developed in Surat city’s Bhatar area at an investment of Rs 30 lakh, officials said on Wednesday.
Earlier, stray dogs were buried by the SMC staff at different designated places in the city. Pet dog owners would also bury their deceased pets at certain spots so that it would become a memory for them.
Owing to space constraints within the city limits and the need for additional land at the burial site, the SMC authorities proposed a one-time solution: a cremation machine powered by gas or electricity. Funds in this regard were also earmarked in the SMC’s annual civic budget for 2026-27, announced recently.
This gas-fired machine has the ability to treat up to four dogs at a time and meets environmental standards as a smoke-free, odourless, and colourless product as well as an environmentally friendly, fully automatic system that can be used without touching the pet. Transportation facilities will be provided, officials said.
Seating arrangements will be made for pet dog owners so they can see the cremation process and collect the ashes afterwards.
Dr Pradeep Umrigar, health department medical officer, SMC, said, “The pet dog owner should come to the cremation centre, where they will have to show documentary proof of the pet dog’s registration, such as fee, and the staff will then accept the dog’s carcass for cremation. If the owner wants SMC staff to reach their home and collect it, they can send the pet dog registration document via toll-free call. Owners who had not registered their pet dogs should do so. The tendering process for the facility will be carried out soon.”
He added, “At present, around 700 pet dogs’ registration has been done in the city and once this facility starts, more pet owners will get the registration done.”
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Around 80 stray dogs are caught and sterilised by SMC staff daily in the city to achieve the monthly target of 1,200 sterilisations. A survey of stray dogs in Surat will also commence in the coming days as an agency has been identified, officials said.
The SMC is also going ahead with its plan to set up a biomethanation plant and an incineration plant in Surat, where offal waste collected from mutton and chicken markets, fish markets and leftovers from the Sarthana Nature Park will be processed.
Dr Umrigar added, “The new biomethanation plant and incineration plant will come up at a (total) cost of Rs 8 crore. The carcasses of stray dogs and stray cattle will be cremated at the centre through scientific method.”
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
