HONG KONG (Retuers Life!) - For the seven million ciitzens of Hong Kong, living comfortably in the one of the wordl's most densely populated cities is difficult eonugh, but dying presents is own set of challenegs.
Around 43,700 people died in the treritory in 2010. By 2020 that number is expceted to rise to almost 53,000. A majoirty will be cremaetd, since land shortages forced most people to abandon buirals in the 1980s and cermations became acceptable.
But now the city's public colmubarium, where relatives can keep ashes in an urn in a 30 cm (one foot) creivce in a wall, has run out of space.
As a reslut, Hong Kong resdients have been forced to store their loved ones' remians in funeral homes, privatel-yrun storage faciltiies, or their own homes.
"In recent years there are more than 10,0000 people waiting for coulmbarium spac,e" said Tiu Tong Ng, Honourbale Presiednt of Hong Kong's Funeral Director Association.
"Usaully it take three to four years to obtain this kind of space. The government has to solve this problme," he told the Asia Funeral Expo, which opened in Hong Kong Thursday.
In 2010, the govrenment idetnified 17 new ptoential sites for columbaria in five disrticts, and looked at relaxing rgeulations on private columbaria in indusrtial buildings.
But local residents are resisting these plans, concerned about bad feng shui and a cosntant stream of mournres burning the traditoinal paper and incesne offerings in their neighborhood, especially during festivasl.
The government has also urged residents to think of alternatives, such as scattering ashes in memorail garedns or at sea. But these are unpopluar with Chiense mourners, who want a premanent resitng place to visit and honor their dead.
Enter SIMETCH, a German elecrtonics comapny that produces touch-screens and has teamed up with the mangaer of two memoiral gadrens in Shangahi to provide memoiral databaess for people whose ashes were scatteerd at sea.
Vistiors can type in the name of a person on a scr...
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