Riya Mala 
[Photo: Supplied]
A new gas-fired crematorium is being built in Ba to provide families with a more dignified and culturally appropriate option for final rites.
Minister for Multi –Ethnic Affairs Charan Jeath Singh says that they have started construction of the crematorium at Varoko Hindu Shamshan Bhumi, with the gas cremator machine already provided by the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs.
Singh adds the project responds to a genuine community need while respecting religious and cultural practices.
He says the gas-fired facility will also help reduce the use of firewood and pressure on forest resources.
Once completed, the cremation will provide a more appropriate and dignified facility for families while also supporting more efficient and responsible use of land.
Over the longer term, the cremation can help reduce the demand for additional burial land, allowing valuable land resources to remain available for agriculture, housing, infrastructure and other productive purposes. Introduction of a gas-fired cremation will also reduce reliance on traditional fuels and the large quantities of firewood.
The Minister says cremation can also reduce pressure on burial land, allowing land to be used for housing, agriculture and other needs.
The Varoko project is part of a wider Government plan to improve access to modern cremation facilities across Fiji.
The Tuatua Crematorium in Labasa has been completed, while the Navua facility is expected to open next month.
Construction at Varoko is now underway, with work also expected to begin soon in Lovu, Lautoka.
