Hyderabad,  The Telangana State Forest Development Corporation on Tuesday decided to provide 1,000 tonnes of firewood free of cost to crematoriums in and around Hyderabad in view of the high demand for wood for funerals on account of increasing deaths due to Covid.

SFDC Chairman Vanteru Pratap Reddy said the decision to provide wood has been taken on humanitarian grounds.

The Corporation acted in response to media reports that crematoriums are facing acute shortage of firewood due to increasing number of Covid deaths.

eddy pointed out that SFDC takes up plantation on large scale every year and paper mills procure this wood. He said 1,000 tonnes of wood currently available with the Corporation will be supplied free of cost to crematoriums in and around Hyderabad.

He said since the increasing price of wood has become a burden for poor performing last rites of their deceased, the Corporation came forward to provide wood worth Rs 20 lakh free of cost.

SFDC Vice Chairman M.D.G Chandrasekhar Reddy said arrangements were being made to provide wood in coordination with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in Greater Hyderabad and with other municipal bodies in towns.

He revealed that 350 tonnes of wood is available in Rangareddy division, 400 tonnes in Khammam-Sattupalli-Ashwaraopet-Bhadrachalam division, 860 tonnes in Mancherial-Kagaznagar division, and 200 tonnes in Warangal division.

Chandrasekhar Reddy said SFDC will also provide bamboos required for funerals.

Wood will be supplied this week to crematoriums at Amberpet, Bansilalpet, Asif Nagar and ESI in Hyderabad. He said poor who are unable to get wood for the funerals may contact municipal authorities concerned.

The Vice Chairman said local lorry owners' associations have also come forward to transport wood to crematoriums.