Dehra Dun, March 30
For the Christian clergy and community elders tradition should give way to pragmatism for optimum use of more than a century old cemetery here.
Alarmed over fast shrinking space to bury the dead, three prominent churches — Reformed Presbyterian, Methodist and CNI — are educating their members to avoid the practice of raising concrete structures to leave room for others to rest in peace. Generally, people construct concrete graves to perpetuate the memories of their beloved ones.
Though the clergy is treading carefully to avoid hurting sentiments but deterrence also has a value. In a recent meeting, the Christian Cemetery Committee (CCC), comprising representatives of these churches resolved to substantially enhance charges for allowing construction on graves. If the idea, germinated due to the space constraints, fructifies, such already structured abodes of the dead may become a thing of monumental interest.
Right now, third tier of burials is going on here. It is being felt that time may come when there may be no space left to bury the dead. “We are not forcing the idea on anybody as it is a sentimental issue. Since there is no religious sanction behind the practice, we want to educate our people to understand the reality,” commented Rev. JV Green of Central Methodist Church and Rev. Sunil Luke of CNI Church. The membership of these three churches runs into thousands.
