SALEM: Residents of Sengalathupadi village in Yercaud, which has around 600 people from 180 families, have renewed their demand for a burial ground, as they have been struggling without the basic facility for more than a decade despite repeated petitions and representations to the district administration.
The village, located around 15 km from Yercaud, is inhabited by people from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, who traditionally bury their dead. L. Mohan Kumar, a resident, said the absence of a common burial ground had made it difficult for families to perform the last rites with dignity.
V. Govindan, another resident, said, “In the absence of a dedicated burial ground, families have been forced to bury their dead on their own land. However, not every family owns land, creating difficulties when a death occurs in the village. According to our tradition, when a person dies outside the village due to illness, an accident or other unnatural circumstances, the body is generally not brought back to the village and is buried outside and so without a burial ground it becomes very difficult.”
The residents said they have repeatedly petitioned the district administration seeking a permanent burial ground, but no solution has been reached so far. They said there are around 400 voters in the village and who decided not to vote in the 2024 elections as their demand was unaddressed. But, after assurances of action from the administration, they votes the 2026, but said no concrete action had followed after the polls.
The residents also approached the court over the issue, after which the district administration was directed to take a decision in four weeks.
T. Rajasekar said the administration later identified a piece of land for the burial ground, but it was far from the village and hence unsuitable. He said the residents requested an alternate, closer site.
According to the residents, a government poramboke land is available in the area. But, a private cottage property is located adjacent to it, makes it difficult to use the land for a burial ground. “If an alternative piece of land is identified for us, we have no objection. But so far, no land has been allotted,” he said.
The residents also alleged that Revenue Department officials assured them of site inspection, but nothing has been done so far. Mohan Kumar said the villagers may be forced to intensify their protest if the issue remains unresolved.
“The next time someone from our village dies while undergoing treatment at Salem Government Hospital, we may have to protest by refusing to take the body until a solution is found. We should not have to carry the dead to a distant place simply because our village does not have a burial ground,” he said.
Salem DRO R. Ravikumar said the administration was aware of the residents’ demand and that the land initially identified was found unsuitable. “The land sought by the residents had rocks and was unsuitable for a burial ground. I will conduct an inspection this week and identify suitable land for them”, he said.