Mumbai will soon get two cemeteries and gas crematoriums solely for animals pet animals. The facilities will be located in the Eastern and Western suburbs. The plan was proposed in a BMC general body meeting on July 6 by Ghatkopar west corporator Dr Bharti Bavdhane and was unanimously passed by the house last Thursday. Animal lovers and activists welcomed the move.“There have been a very large number of pets in the city along with strays and live stock, which are thrown in dumping grounds or nullahs or rivers when they die,” Bavdhane told Mirror. “This causes health hazards leading to stench and even spreads diseases. Also, people who really love their pets are forced to dump their carcasses into dumping grounds as there are no such facilities for animals provided by the civic body.She added the beef ban has also started resulting in the dumping of an increasing number of livestock carcasses, which is beginning to pose a hygiene and health problem in the city.“The sanctioning of the two plots with facilities to bury carcasses and also gas crematoriums will go a long way in solving problems related to dead animals in the city,” said Bavdhane.Sources in the BMC said the civic administration will now issue a report on the issue, following which further plan of action will be decided regarding the two cemeteries. Animal lovers said the closest they now have is a small area inside the SPCA Hospital in Parel.“That too shuts at 5 pm and if someone needed to lay their pets to rest in the night they were forced to wait till the next morning,” said Sunish Subramanian, from the NGO PAWS. “In general, most people are forced to just dump the carcasses of their pets in garbage dumps where civic officials clear it after a day or two. “With two dedicated cemeteries and gas crematoriums, animal lovers can lay their pets to rest with dignity. It would also help keep the city clean of carcasses of strays that are crushed to death under wheels of speeding vehicles daily.”The problem has not just been plaguing pet and livestock owners. A dolphin that recently washed ashore at Nariman Point was dumped at the Deonar dumping ground, leading to uproar from animal lovers.A senior civic official said the provision will also be introduced in the Development Plan for 2014 to 2034 and that it will be implemented within three months. Law Committee chairman Mahesh Parkar said the plots will be finalised soon and that the paperwork has already been started by the development and planning committee.“Work will begin within a quarter,” said Parkar. “The facility in the eastern suburbs will most likely be close to the Deonar dumping ground.”