Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Laiqat Ali Chatha, as an administrator of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation(MCR), has notified “The Municipal Corporation Rwp, Regulation of burial places “Graveyards Byelaws, 2023” for graveyards of Rawalpindi. According to the notification 240/G issued by Commissioner on Sunday, the instant enforcement of these bylaws shall extend to the Municipal/metro corporation limits, excluding the Cantt, the area of the Auqaf department and Punjab Shaher e Khamsohan Authority.
As soon as these bylaws come into force, the concerned local government or respective union council will notify the Union Council burial place/ Graveyard committee, which shall consist of the chairman and other official and non-official members specified by UC from time to time. As per bylaws, the committee is responsible for formulating policy for maintaining and managing burial places, monitoring, giving suggestions for its improvement, protecting burial places from encroachment, ensuring regular fumigation and larvicidal in burial places and assisting local government in any damage to any graves. “No new burial place shall be established without the approval of the local government.”
A burial place shall be registered with the local government and subject to regulation, supervision and inspection by it in such manner as these bylaws may provide. “The local government will appoint a grave digger and shall not dig a grave on a path or road.” The local government shall determine the charges of digging a grave with the consultation of the graveyard Committee. “No person shall bring any animal, Tanga or Rerha or vehicle to the graveyard, the notification said. No person shall be allowed to sell flowers within the premises of the graveyard.
The local government will arrange the burial of poor persons on its own, and regular records will be kept. “No government tombstones will be allowed without the local government’s permission and the graveyard’s committee.” The size of all the graves will also be kept uniform. “Violators of these bye-laws will be dealt with under Sections 172 to 176 and Section 134. Commissioner Laiqat Ali Chatha said that the soul that left the world deserves to be buried with dignity and respect. He said the local government is responsible for providing a suitable place to bury people. In this regard, these bylaws have been made, which are effective immediately. He said that the local government, within 60 days of the issue of these bye-laws, shall identify and demarcate all such places open to the public for burial.
