The parish priest of Our Lady of Guidance writes to the Corporation Commissioner saying there is no more space to bury people
A Christian cemetery in zone 9, St. Mary’s Road, covering an area of more than six acres, which has been maintained by Our Lady of Guidance, has filled up.
More than 2,500 graves have been allotted to applicants. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a significant increase in the number of bodies for burial. The parish priest of Our Lady of Guidance wrote to the Corporation Commissioner that there was no more space to bury people.
The Zonal Health Committee on conducting an inspection, confirmed this. The Corporation has requested the public to turn to other cemeteries to bury their dead and has said lists of graves will be communicated to them.
According to Section 324 of the Chennai Corporation Municipal Act, the Council’s permission is required to stop burials in a cemetery. Consent is also needed in case of families re-opening a grave. Graves that do not have a separate airtight compartment cannot be opened within 14 years after burial. After this period, the grave can be excavated and used for reburial.
