VietNamNet Bridge – After Van Dien Cemetery closed, locating resting places for Hanoians has become a big problem for city authorities. The Government has agreed to a 150 hectare ecological cemetery in Soc Son District, but residents strongly oppose the plan.

There are seven main cemeteries in Hanoi, including Mai Dich, Van Dien, Thanh Tuoc, Yen Ky, Sai Dong, Ngoc Hoi and Nhon, with a total area of 70 hectares. There are also small-scale graveyards in residential areas. Most are overloaded and Van Dien Cemetery closed in July 2010 because it is full and also for environmental reasons.

After the cemetery closed, only two cemeteries remain: Yen Ky and Thanh Tuoc. Of these, Thanh Tuoc is running out of spaces and Yen Ky may be open for two more years.

The Government released Decision No. 490 on capital area plans to 2020 with a vision to 2050, which outlines a 150 hectare cemetery for Soc Son District.

Following the decision, the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee, released Document No, 181 on the cemetery system and funeral homes in the capital city. It also identified the need to construct an ecological cemetery in Soc Son District.

On August 13, 2009, the Steering Committee of the Soc Son district’s Party Committee had a meeting and released the Notice No. 292 on choosing a place for the city’s cemetery. On September 15, 2009, Hanoi People’s Committee released the Dispatch No. 8935, agreeing to construct a graveyard on a spot chosen by Soc Son authorities.

On October 20, 2009, Soc Son’s District’s Party Committee set up a up the committee for the cemetery project. After that, the city’s departments, including the Department for Natural Resources and the Environment, the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development released documents, affirming that building a cemetery in Minh Phu commune in Soc Son district is reasonable and fits the city’s development program while ensuring environmental protection.

It is clear that a cemetery is necessary. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi once told the press that if the project is implemented slowly, Hanoi will not have a place to bury dead people.

However, over the last year, the project remains on paper.

Right after hearing about the cemetery in Minh Phu Commune, hundreds of people gathered at the head office of Soc Son district’s People’s Committee, protesting the decision.

Residents claim that it is unreasonable to build a cemetery in the area, reasoning that it is a protected forest area that will be polluted by the cemetery.

On August 3, 2010, when district officials and Hanoi construction agents came to Minh Phu to begin work, more than 4000 people surrounded the land plot and prevented the work from beginning.

Source: Tien phong