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Source:
www.nea.gov.sg |
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NEA¨S NEW BURIAL SYSTEM
PROMISES MORE ORDERLY AND NEATER BURIALS |
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System has added space saving
features over conventional soil burial method |
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The New Burial System (NBS) introduced in
2002 for the re-internment of exhumed remains from the Bidadari Cemetery
will now be extended to all burials from the end of this month. |
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The system will first be implemented in the
Muslim Cemetery end of May. This will be followed by the Chinese
Cemetery in August, Christian and Lawn Cemeteries in October, and Hindu
Cemetery in December. |
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The NBS is an improvement to the present
soil burial system. The NBS uses concrete walls in place of traditional
earth walls, assuring the stability of the sidewalls during and after
the burial process[1]. |
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Soil burials can also be muddy particularly
when it rains, impeding the burial process and access to the site. With
the NBS, these problems will cease to exist, and next-of-kin can visit
year round hassle-free. |
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The NBS also brings with it space savings.
In land scarce Singapore, there is limited land for burial. There is
thus a need to maximise the land allocated so that there will be enough
space for burials to continue. |
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In the present soil burial system, an earth
wall, 1.5 ft thick, is required in between graves to prevent them from
sinking or shifting due to soil erosion or bad weather. |
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With the NBS, these earth walls are replaced
with thinner concrete walls. This will allow 240 more plots per hectare
or 15% more graves compared to the current system. (Under the present
soil burial system, the plot density is 1670 plots/ha.) |
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The more compact NBS, together with the
15-year burial policy, will allow the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery to last up
to year 2130. |
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Next-of-kin need not be concerned over the
new system preventing any traditional religious rituals from being
practiced. |
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NEA has consulted extensively on the system
and all the major religious groups in Singapore, including the five
religious groups (Muslims, Jews, Baha¨is, Parsi and Ahmaddiya), which do
not allow cremation in their community, have endorsed the system.
Next-of-kin are also free to erect monuments of their choice, as with
the present system. |
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[1] Instead of traditional earth burial
plots, a burial plot in the NBS takes on the form of a space saving
concrete crypt without a base. First, concrete beams are laid as
foundation. Panels are then lowered into the ground to form the walls of
the NBS crypt. Each crypt is then fitted with a concrete lid. When the
time comes for burial, the lid of the crypt is lifted to reveal the
empty chamber and the base of earth below. The coffin/shrouded remains
is lowered into the crypt to rest on the earth. The crypt is then fully
covered with earth before being sealed with a concrete lid, following
which next-of-kin may erect a monument/tombstone of their choice. |
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Source:
www.nea.gov.sg News Release 7
May 2007 |
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FrontPage Edition: Mon 7 May 2007
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