Rising graveyard crisis: Mizoram gets its 1st high-rise cemetery

Aizawl: Aizawl’s Chaltlang neighbourhood has got its latest modern invention of multi-storey concrete cemetery, which is the first of its kind in Mizoram, to cope with the rising graveyard crisis.

The five-storey cemetery, which houses at least 163 artificial or readymade graves, was inaugurated by chief minister Zoramthanga on Saturday, Chaltlang branch of YMA president Hnamhlunchhunga said on Sunday.

He said that the purpose was to cater to the needs of the people and to alleviate the rising graveyard crisis caused by increasing population.

Hnamhlunchhunga also said that the new invented cemetery will also serve environmental safety as it will help in avoiding sunsidence of graveyard during rainy season.

According to the leader, on an average at least 55 to 60 people die every year in Chaltlang and as many as 63 people were buried in Chaltlang cemetery last year.

Zoramthanga congratulated Chaltlang neighbourhood for having developed the first high-rise cemetery in the state.

He said that the state capital has began facing graveyard shortage due to increase in population triggered by migration from rural areas.

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The CM said that subsidence of graveyards was witnessed on several occasions in the state capital during the rainy season due to loose soil as dead bodies were buried by digging underground.

He expressed hope that the new multi-storey graveyard will serve its purpose and benefit the people.

The multi-storey graveyard was built under the initiative of Chaltlang YMA with funding from the urban development & poverty alleviation department of the state government.

The construction of the Rs 29.73-lakh project began in January last year and was completed in October the same year.

The new cemetery has five storeys and is 80 ft tall and 16 ft wide. There are 27 graves in each storey and each grave has a pipe connected to a drain in the ground.

Besides the main high-rise cemetery, another multi-hole concrete graveyard which houses 28 graves has also been built.