Sushila Minz and her family of five seemed quite harrowed trying to resolve the labour issue to dig up a grave for a funeral that was scheduled at the All Saints Cemetery in Khadgarah for 4 pm on Monday. “We have a funeral procession coming in at 3:30 pm today from Upper Chutia and we are unable to find labourers to help us dig up the grave. Though, my sons have started working on it but we might not be able to complete it before time if we do not find more people soon. We have no fresh spot for burial and the Parish Priests of All Saints Cemetery Church have been trying to resolve the issue for a long time, now,” said Minz, Caretaker of All Saints Cemetery.
The world’s getting smaller including the space for the dead. Ranchi is the third most populated city of the State after Jamshedpur and Dhanbad, with a fast growing population pegged at 11.20 lakh as per the 2011 India Census report and the total number of Christian Cemeteries and Muslim Graveyards in the city is not more than eight. In the last couple of years, graveyards in the city have been facing an acute shortage of land also caught up in a dilemma to deal with this crisis.
“No new member can be buried here at this cemetery and only those who have their families buried here can be rested here in peace. There is evidently no fresh space for any burials anymore and even the family members are buried on top of the existing graves after a span of 40-50 years,” said Sagar Kacchap, who heads the family that maintains the Kantatoli Roman Catholic Cemetery The family takes care of the lawn and the graves but seemed little upset about the fact that there might not be any job left for their family who has been working at the same place for the past 40 years, now.
According to St Mary’s Cathedral’s in-charge Father Ajay lakra, the fresh spaces are not available in the few cemeteries in the city and this has been a subject of huge concern, lately. “There is hardly any fresh space left in the Kantatoli Roman Catholic Cemetery and we will soon have to buy a new land for the proper burial. Obviously, we cannot afford a space here in the city anymore and are in talks to buy a plot on the outskirts of the city. We are not entitled to any special privileges from the government as far as graveyards are concerned,” said Father Ajay.
Meanwhile, Father Ajay expressed his concern over the shortage of space in the city and the pressing need of more graveyards here as death is inevitable. “There are four hard facts that are indisputable that creates a dilemma about the disposition of mortal remains. The facts are — ever-increasing population, urbanisation, fixed amount of space along with the certainty of death makes the need of more cemeteries in the city the need of the moment. But, our hands are also tied. We have been urging all members of the church and other organizations associated with our church to donate and contribute in the making of a new cemetery at the earliest in the city,” said the Father in-charge.
However, the Social and Welfare Department seemed to be quite ignorant of the rising need of the city at the moment. Narul Hoda, Deputy Secretary, Social and Welfare Department, said that the Christian cemeteries do not fall under the concerned department’s jurisdiction. “We do not have anything to do with the Christian cemeteries but as far as the Muslim Graveyards are concerned, we are only supposed to take care of building and maintaining the boundary walls that falls under the Kabristan Gherabandi Scheme. If there’s a particular demand from the graveyards for the construction or repair work of the boundary walls, we always look into the matter,” said Hoda.
Shubha Akhauri, Deputy Secretary, Social and Welfare Department said that there is no proposal for any fresh land acquisition for any cemeteries or graveyards in the city, currently. “We do not have any such plans in this financial year’s Budget. If any particular community has any suggestions or complaints, can submit it to the repective Welfare District Officials and we will try to include it in this year’s budget,” said Akhauri.
Undoubtedly, the city is reeling under the looming pressure of resting the dead in peace as the burial space shortage intensifies.