The recently set up Oddamavady COVID burial grounds in the Eastern Province has ample space available for interment of increasing number of virus affected remains, former Chief Minister and present Member of Parliament, Hafiz Nazeer Ahmed told the Daily News on Saturday.
Refuting a statement made by the Chairman of the Oddamavady Pradeshiya Sabha, A. M.Naufer, Ahmed said that the Government has allocated around five acres of land for this purpose and if and when necessary, more lands could be acquired for the burial purpose.
The burial grounds is located in the Korale Pattu West Secretariat, while Ahmed is the Chairman of both Korale Pattu West and Central Secretariats.
So far, he said a total of 1,318 bodies have been interred which included 1,247 Muslim remains, 26 Hindhus,21 Catholics, 22 Buddhists and two foreigners.Ahmed who had initiated the project in the Eastern Province to help those people who wished to bury their COVID infected victims, thanked the Tri-Forces, Government departments including Health Ministry and concerned authorities to redress the grievances of the aggrieved Sri Lankans who come there for COVID burials from all parts of the island.
However, he pointed out that he had requested the authorities to find at least three more such facilities in places such as Mannar, Puttalam and places in the central and western parts of the country for the convenience of the people who accompany the remains for the final rites.
He also thanked President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniaracchi, the Finance Minister and other philanthropists who were really responsible for making this burial grounds a reality.
“It is fitting to note that the new Oddamavady graveyard act as a common worshipping place for all the communities to conduct their respective religious rites before the burial of their loved ones,” Ahmed concluded.