MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN
COLOMBO : With the increase in the number of deaths due to Covid virus, the burial grounds at Oddamavadi in the Eastern Province will run out of space in 30 days.
Chairman of the Oddamavadi Pradeshiya Sabha A.M.Nowfer told Colombo Times that the space is getting filled up at a rate with the increasing number of Covid deaths among the Muslims.
The Sudupathinasena, Oddamavai burial area was allocated recently by the government to serve Muslim interests to have decent burial for Muslim dead bodies in accordance with the Islamic regulations.
“ We have space only for space for some 650 to 700 in the allocated area,” Nowfer said, pointing out that there is a total of 1353 Covid victims have been already buried,out of which some 1,279 were Muslim remains.
The five-acre plot of land could accommodate a maximum of 2,000 dead bodies.
Naufer explained that earlier there was an average of 10 deaths a day and now it has increased to 30 deaths, which are expected to be filled up during the next 30 days.
Justice Minister Ali Sabry visited the site last month and also donated an excavator machine to facilitate burial on rough grounds.
“ I have told the concerned people about the problem and trust that someone would take appropriate action to find an alternate place to continue burial,” Nawfer concluded.
In a TV interview, Dr.Anver Hamdani said recently that one fourth of the Covid deaths were from the members of the Muslim community. “ Most the cases have not vaccinated at all against Covid,” Hamdani added.
