All cemeteries to have multiple functions
JAKARTA (JP): In the near future cemeteries in the capital will serve not only as burial sites, but will also function as scenic areas, greeneries as well as water catchment areas.
"Our long term target is to use all city cemeteries not only as burial sites but also as city green areas and water catchments so that they can be useful for those still alive," Sjafril Zainuddin, the chief of the city cemetery office, said yesterday.
He said in order to reach the goal the city administration issued the City Regulation No. 2 in 1992 on cemetery planning.
According to Sjafril, the regulation sets the standard design of graves in Jakarta which forbids the use of bricks or concrete in construction.
"All graves will be of soil covered with grass and marked by a gravestone," he said, adding that there is no distinction made for graves of people of different creeds.
Sjafril said the standardization of grave plots has enabled the city to govern the number of graves in each hectare in a cemetery which should not be more or less than 1,800 graves per hectare.
He said the standardization will help the office create the ideal cemetery which could be a beautiful garden.
Sjafril said that the office is now planning to make three cemeteries pilot projects. The cemeteries are Karet Bivak in Central Jakarta, Tanah Kusir and Pondok Ranggon, both in South Jakarta.
Sjafril said the office is planning to transform Karet Bivak cemetery on Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur, Central Jakarta into a shady garden.
He said that gradually the concrete tombs in Karet Bivak cemetery will be removed and most of the people whose families were buried there have agreed to the plan.
"The estimated total cost of the cemetery refurbishment in Karet Bivak is Rp 2.6 billion (US$1.18 million) and the project is expected to start next year," he said.
Responding to a question about the existence of monumental tombs which were built years ago, Sjafril said his office is still appealing to families to make them understand the office wants to redesign the tombs in line with the Regulation No. 2/1992.
Sjafril said all of the regulations regarding graveyards have been applied in new city burial sites such as Pondok Ranggon cemetery, South Jakarta, Kampung Kambing and Pondok Kelapa in East Jakarta.
Save
He said the regulation has also promoted the scheme of using the same grave to bury another member of the family in order to save land use in Jakarta.
"Assuming that there are 80 people in Jakarta needing conventional burials every day, one grave for one body, by the year 2,000 there will be no more space for burial in this city," he said.
He said this year the city can provide around 244,000 burial plots, but in about six years Jakartans will face a scarcity of available graves.
Sjafril said his office has launched aggressive campaigns for the concept through radio shows and leaflets which are available in subdistrict administration offices.
He said there are around 614 cemeteries in Jakarta but only 101, totaling 556 hectares, are in line with the city planning.
The remaining 513 which total 92.07 hectares consist of small traditional graveyards, the remains of which will be exhumed and moved to the other 101 graveyards.
Among the 513 graveyards, 276 are located in South Jakarta, 107 in West Jakarta, 96 in East Jakarta, 33 in North Jakarta and one in Central Jakarta. (mas)