Out of space: Christians seek land for cemetery in Odisha

As of now, Satyanagar cemetery is the only place available in the city for Christians to bury their dead.
Family members perform the last rites of a person, who died from COVID-19, at a Christian cemetery. (Photo | PTI)
Family members perform the last rites of a person, who died from COVID-19, at a Christian cemetery. (Photo | PTI)

BHUBANESWAR: The Christian community of the State capital has sought land in the city or its outskirts for a new cemetery. Bhubaneswar Christian Cemetery Development Foundation had approached the government in the past requesting a piece of land for a cemetery and applications are reportedly pending with the departments concerned since long. 

As of now, Satyanagar cemetery is the only place available in the city for Christians to bury their dead. The cemetery is spread over one acre and sandwiched between the Hindu crematorium and Muslim graveyard.

“The Satyanagar cemetery is fast running out space and proving inadequate for the Christian community. The pressure on the cemetery has increased manifold since March, 2020 after the outbreak of Covid-19,” said the foundation’s treasurer Bibhuti Ranjan Sen. Bodies of Christian Covid-19 victims from across the State, who succumb to the disease in the city, are buried by workers of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the cemetery, he said.

The foundation’s members said there is hardly any space left as bodies are buried on a daily basis including those dying of other causes. There have been instances when five bodies were buried in a single day.  Those who dig the pits are often unwilling to work as they stumble upon skeletons.

The bodies are sometimes buried in places where a corpse was placed a few years ago which is not acceptable, said Sen.

“We have explored every nook and corner of the city to find space for burial of bodies. The foundation hopes the government will look into the situation and do the needful at the earliest,” he added.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com