Kollam: Two and a half weeks past, the body of 75-year-old Annamma from Puthoor still awaits the mercy of living ones for her burial.
The dispute over Jerusalem diocese cemetery at Thuruthikkara in Puthoor under Mar Thoma church is yet to get resolved despite the high court intervention.
Now, the church authorities are into constructing a concrete vault for her body but demanded the relatives to wait for another twenty days citing the setting time of cement and clearance certificate.
The issue of this Dalit Christian family has not yet been taken up by any of the political or cultural organisations.
They lead a lone battle against the established dogmas of the upper-class society.The desperate family moved the court seeking justice for the body, following which it got a favourable order.
However, the district administration sought their consent to preserve the body for twenty days, and the church started building the vault in the presence of Tahasildar and the RDO.
The construction department within the PWD has recommended two week's setting time for the concrete, only after which the completion certificate will be issued.
The Panchayat will have to submit a report to the district administration to get the nod for the burial. An all-party meeting convened by the Kunnathoor panchayat authorities earlier had decided to construct it avoiding environmental issues.
Meanwhile, a BJP worker, Rajesh from Sasthamkotta, who had filed a complaint against the cemetery in the court opposed the move.
Annamma, of Thuruthikkara in Nediyavila in Puthoor, belonging to Jerusalem Mar Thoma church died of age-related ailments.
A group opposed the burial in the disputed cemetery alleging water pollution. Only 28 families in the area belonged to Jerusalem church and were earlier permitted to use the cemetery of the Mar Thoma church.
They moved court some four years back opposing the burial of bodies in the cemetery. Since then bodies belonging to believers of Jerusalem church were taken to another cemetery under Mar Thoma church. However, this was also denied to the family of Annamma.
A report by the deputy medical officer observed no such drinking water pollution issues had been noticed in the area. According to the parishioners, the cemetery has been functioning for the last 85 years and is being shared by various Churches.
