The dead rest in clean spaces: GCC cleans 200+ crematoriums and burial grounds
Over 200 crematoriums and burial grounds were cleaned by the GCC, which also allocated Rs 17.18 crore for developing them in various places
Chennai Corporation workers are engaged in mass cleaning work at 203 graveyards across Chennai Corporation zones (Hemanathan M)
CHENNAI: Whether the dead truly rest in peace may be up for debates and discussions but their resting places are now cleaner, thanks to the efforts of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), which conducted an intensive cleanliness drive in 203 crematoriums and burial grounds.
Overgrown vegetation and poor solid waste management were perennial issues at the Corporation-run burial grounds and crematoriums. Often, weeds and other forms of wild vegetation would become so dense and tangled that it was difficult for people to cremate or bury their loved ones. During the monsoon, the situation worsened due to water-logging.
After multiple complaints for months, senior officials visited the burial grounds for inspection. Based on that, on Friday, an intense cleanliness drive was carried out in 203 crematoriums and burial grounds. During the drive, cleanliness workers removed garbage, construction debris, posters, etc. They also removed unauthorised advertisements, overgrown shrubs and bushes and sanitised the area.
A total of 159.16 metric tonnes of waste were removed including 93.38 MT of garbage and 65.78 MT of construction debris from the burial grounds. Corporation Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran instructed officials to carry out the cleaning work on a regular basis, noted an official release from the civic body.
Additionally, the GCC has allocated Rs 17.18 crore for developing the crematoriums in several places.
Residents in various parts of the city including Tiruvottiyur and Thoraipakkam lamented over the lack of solid waste management at burial grounds. They alleged that cleanliness workers collect the waste from the residential areas and burn it at the burial grounds itself.
“Since there is no compound wall at the burial ground, residents and other passers-by throw away the waste on the ground. Though several complaints were raised, the civic body has continued to neglect the issue,” rued Jothimani, a resident of Tiruvottiyur. “Already the land space of the burial ground has shrunk due to encroachment. If they don’t remove the buildings, there would be no space left to bury the dead.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner Kumaragurubaran has instructed officials to carry out the developmental works at crematoriums and burial grounds. Recently, Mayor R Priya passed a resolution to carry out developmental works at 18 burial grounds in 10 zones in the city at an estimated cost of Rs 17.18 crore. It is noteworthy that several works including upgrading gas pipelines were included in it.
The civic body will enhance the burial grounds at Otteri, Melpatti Ponnapan Street, Vanagaram Road, Villivakkam in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar (Zone 6), Ambattur (Zone 7) and Anna Nagar (Zone 8) at a cost of Rs 4.76 crore. Similar works will be undertaken in burial grounds in Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam and Adyar zones including the ones at Mylapore, Kannamapet, Arcot and Besant Nagar for Rs 3.96 crore, noted the resolution. The Kilpauk burial ground will get a facelift at Rs 1.63 crore, and those at Arumbakkam and Nungambakkam will have modern facilities for Rs 69.20 lakh and Rs 50 lakh respectively. The GCC will incur the expenses for maintenance works through its capital funds.