Govandi graveyard to remain closed as more partially decomposed bodies found
More partially decomposed bodies have been found at the Rafi Nagar graveyard in Mumbai, leading to its continued closure. The bodies may not be decomposing due to being buried in polythene because of Covid. Residents have raised concerns about the soil used in the graveyard, which they claim is mixed with debris and unsuitable for decomposition. Activists have demanded that the soil be tested, and the results made public. The nearby Shia Muslim graveyard has not experienced the same issue. The BMC will examine another portion of the graves in the next 10 to 15 days.
Mumbai: A few more partially decomposed bodies were dug up at the Rafi Nagar graveyard in Govandi on Monday. This came nearly a month after the same occurrence led to the temporary closure of the graveyard by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
According to a BMC official, they were digging up to check if the bodies have decomposed to assess if the graveyard could be reopened.
However, more bodies were found in a partially decomposed state and the graveyard will continue to remain shut.
HT had reported the issue on June 10 after the first set of bodies were found partially undecomposed while digging up to lay more bodies.
“It is possible the bodies are not decomposing as they were buried wrapped in polythene because of Covid,” the civic body official said.
However, the residents have questioned the soil used in the graveyard.
Shaikh Faiyaz Alam, a local social worker from the Govandi Citizens Group, said, “The bodies are turning up with the white cotton shroud they were wrapped in. This is because the soil used for the graveyard is mixed with debris and is not fit for decomposition.”
He also alleged that water, suspected to be contaminated due to the leachate from the neighbouring Deonar dumping ground, was found in the graves.
Alam and other activists have been rallying for the soil used in the graveyard to be tested. “We met with the ward officer on June 26 and demanded that the soil be tested, and its results be made publicly available. They have agreed to do so,” Alam said.
There is a graveyard for the Shia Muslim community adjacent to the plot, which has not faced a similar issue. According to Alam, this is because the demand for those graves is considerably lesser due to the population of the community in the area and their preference for the graveyard on Reay Road.
Abdul Rehman Shah, from the management of the nearby Deonar Sunni Muslim Kabristan, said, “The soil needs to be clean murum. But I do not think it is a problem of the soil or of Covid. It is likely they have messed up the burying order and are digging up graves prematurely, before the 18-month minimum time required for decomposition.”
Shah, however, agreed that debris was mixed in the soil in 2018, but said it should not be contributing to the issue. He adds that similar incidents had occurred in the Deonar Sunni Muslim Kabristan before 2018 due to the lack of space, but people were not aware of it. “Until there is limited space for graveyards in the area, the issue will not subside,” he added.
According to the BMC official, another portion of the graves in the Rafi Nagar graveyard will be examined again in the next 10 to 15 days.
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