No drinking water, unsanitary washrooms with no lights, and lack of basic facilities, such is the situation of Kalpalli burial ground, the largest burial ground in the city, which belongs to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), and is completely neglected by the civic body. The burial ground is home to about 40 people, including grave diggers and their families who have been living here for generations. The burial ground also houses the registration office.
“From taking bath to cooking, and using the restroom, about 35-40 people rely on only two tankers water, and six taps, of which only two work that too occasionally. The water quality, and the constant smoke from the pyres have impacted our health. The authorities neglect us, as they know there is no way out for us,” said Kiran, a grave digger.
“We have buried not only the dead, but also our own dreams and those of our children,” lamented a grave digger.
When TNIE visited the burial ground, Sathya, the only female registrar at the burial ground said, “The conditions of the washrooms are unsanitary, and not suitable for use, especially for women. Despite the construction of two washrooms, their condition remains deplorable.”
“When I need to use the washroom, I have to go to my home located nearly a kilometre away. For that, I have to close the office in between, but those who come between this gap, do not understand our situation, nor can we explain it to them. They expect us to be their immediately, start the registration process and address their concerns. But then, what about our basic needs?” Sathya, who took charge as the registrar in 2021, said.
She told that every day, approximately 7-13 dead bodies come here with at least 30-40 people per body. “They often ask for water, and blame us for the lack there of. But where are we supposed to get the water from? We don’t even have access to drinking water. The problem worsens during festivals or death anniversaries, when people visiting the graveyard increases,” Sathya added.
People often complain that the graves are littered with dried and discarded garlands. However, there is not a single dustbin available in the graveyard,” a worker said.
Burial grounds are all about sorrow, pain, and grief. But life here is worse. We live here because our livelihood depends on digging graves. What would happen if we stopped our work? Who would the people turn to, and who would the BBMP rely on?, the workers questioned.
When TNIE reached out to the Joint Commissioner of BBMP East, Saroja BB she said that the issue would be addressed.