VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 100,000 tombs at Binh Hung Hoa cemetery in Binh Tan district will be removed to suburban districts. The cemetery will be turned into a new residential area, a park and the home to many public works.

As of December 2010, the 60 hectare cemetery has been closed. Tombs will be moved to cemeteries in Cu Chi, Binh Chanh district and Hoa An cemetery in Dong Nai province.

In Hanoi, Van Dien cemetery, the country’s largest cemetery was closed on July 15. First the cemetery no longer accepted first burials but later didn’t accept incineration as well. Old tombs will be exhumed and moved to other places after three years.

Hanoi has expanded Yen Ky and Vinh Hang cemeteries in Ba Vi district to replace Van Dien. Vinh Hang cemetery is now available to use.

Having existed for nearly five decades, the 18 hectare Van Dien cemetery is located in Thanh Tri district. It currently has around 20,000 tombs.

For over one decade, this cemetery has caused serious pollution to the surrounding area. Thanh Tri district asked Hanoi authorities to stop burial in this cemetery many years ago but until now it was not implemented.

Van Dien will have four more incinerators and be upgraded into a cemetery-park.

PV