The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Move to reduce interval period for reusing graves

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Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Move to reduce interval period for reusing graves

Kannal Achuthan

Photo: M. Vedhan

The Madras Cemeteries Board had appealed to the Chennai Corporation to reduce the interval for reopening of graves. —

CHENNAI: A resolution to reduce the period of 14 years that was stipulated for reuse of graves in cemeteries in the city has been passed recently by the Chennai Corporation Council.

According to the resolution, a grave where a body has been buried without a coffin can be reused after 12 months. A grave where a body has been buried in a wooden coffin can be reused after 18 months and the grave that holds a body buried in a metal coffin can be reused after seven years.

In all these cases, the remains of the body buried earlier must not be tampered with, the resolution said.

The council’s decision would have to be approved by the State government for it to take effect. If the new provisions are allowed, the problem of burial grounds running out of space could be solved to a large extent, said councillors. The Chennai Municipal Corporation Act’s Section 349 (22) sub-rule 12 would then be modified to accommodate the change in the interval for reopening of graves.

The Madras Cemeteries Board, which manages several Christian cemeteries in the city, had appealed to the Chennai Corporation to reduce the interval period. The Board partially closed the Kilpauk cemetery when it ran out of space in April 2005. Only the graves of those buried 14 years before are reopened for their family members. The provision of a multi-tier vault system is available for new burials. The Quibble Island cemetery too was partially closed and only the Kasimedu cemetery was available for new burials.

B. Francis Raja Doss, president of the Madras Cemeteries Board, said the revision in the rules was essential to manage the shortage of space. The clearance to reopen a grave is given by the Corporation.

“The 14-year interval rule was formed when the British ruled here. In our appeal to the Corporation, we quoted the example of Bombay where shorter intervals are allowed,” he said.

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