Byrner
03-23-2008, 09:45 AM
The mayor of a village in south west France has banned residents from dying.
The Village graveyard is full and Gerard Lalanne has threatened "severe" punishment for anyone who disobeys.
The mayor issued the unusual edict when it became clear that there was no room left in the overcrowded village graveyard in Sarpourenx in the Bordeaux region.
In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Lalanne told the 260 residents that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish".
It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."
However, the nature of the punishment - apparently a fate worse than death - was not specified.
The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.
Mayor Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election for a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.
News Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-1308194,00.html
The Village graveyard is full and Gerard Lalanne has threatened "severe" punishment for anyone who disobeys.
The mayor issued the unusual edict when it became clear that there was no room left in the overcrowded village graveyard in Sarpourenx in the Bordeaux region.
In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Lalanne told the 260 residents that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish".
It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."
However, the nature of the punishment - apparently a fate worse than death - was not specified.
The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.
Mayor Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election for a seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.
News Source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91059-1308194,00.html