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224 covid bodies buried at Oddmavadi; community leaders seek another site
View(s):As of yesterday morning, the number of COVID-19-infected bodies interred in the Muslim burial site in Oddamavadi had risen to 224 and community leaders have called for the Government to approve at least one more identified site to ease the burden of officials and workers at the present location.
There were 14 new bodies on Friday and, by yesterday morning, ten more for the site which is also opened to those of other religions who may wish to carry out burials instead of cremations. While the area allocated for interment was initially 10 acres, there are now some reports that it would be reduced to three, said Niyasdeen Sattar, President of the All Ceylon Janazah Association.
Mr Sattar, whose organisation overseas Muslim funerals, said they were “trying to clarify the situation”. Each body is placed three feet apart, and if only three acres were available, the site would only be able to accommodate 250-270 bodies. Around 335 bodies were cremated before the Government allowed burials in March this year.
“At the moment, there is no immediate problem but the numbers are going up,” said Ali Zahir Moulana, former Batticaloa district MP and community leader. “The space is also for Christians, Hindus and Buddhists who want to bury their dead. There have been other places identified according to the criteria and passed by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board and the National Geological Bureau on a request by Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara.”
One of these is Irakkamam in the Ampara District and another site is in Mannar. Identifying more than one location would ease the burden on staff–including health officials, public health inspectors and even Pradeshiya Sabha members who are mandated to be present. They have to handle an increasing number of bodies in full PPE under the glare of the sun and also allow the deceased to be buried in places closer to their homes, thereby easing the transport burden for relatives, Mr Moulana said, adding that “it is difficult to bury 20 to 25 bodies a day”.