The charity columbarium turned into a private ancestral hall for sale? Response from Tianjin Civil Affairs Bureau

　　Tianjin Civil Affairs Bureau responded to "Public ashes halls turned into private ancestral halls for sale": Investigation

　　In response to media reports that "the public welfare columbarium of Zhongtang Town, Binhai New District, Tianjin was sold as a private ancestral hall", on September 2, The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) learned from Tianjin Civil Affairs Bureau that Tianjin Civil Affairs Bureau The investigation is already in progress, and the investigation progress and results will be responded to by the Binhai New Area Civil Affairs Department.

　　On the same day, a staff member of the Social Affairs Management Office of the Binhai New Area Civil Affairs Bureau told The Paper that the District Civil Affairs Bureau is currently investigating and verifying the public welfare columbarium in Zhongtang Town. After the investigation and verification of the situation, relevant personnel engaged in illegal operations will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Regulation processing.

　　A staff member of the People's Government of Zhongtang Town, Binhai New Area, the construction unit of the columbarium, told The Paper that they are actively cooperating with the investigation. If there is any investigation result, the relevant department will announce it.

　　The Paper's inquiry found that as early as 2015, some netizens questioned whether the charges of the columbarium were reasonable.

According to the "Government Zero Distance" column of the local media in Tianjin, the netizen asked on November 28, 2015: "Is it reasonable to charge 30,000 yuan for the public welfare columbarium at Wanjia Wharf, Zhongtang Town, Dagang District, Binhai New Area, Tianjin? Shouldn’t the public welfare columbarium be free?"

　　On December 7th of the same year, the Binhai New Area government replied that “the problem of charging 30,000 yuan per family for the public welfare columbarium in Zhongtang Town as reported by the parties does not exist. The problem of charging a monthly management fee of 10 yuan per ashes is in accordance with relevant regulations. Charged."

　　Jiemian News reported on August 31 this year that the public welfare columbarium in Zhongtang Town was sold as a private ancestral hall. The ancestral hall was sold in units of 3,000 yuan to 7,000 yuan per square meter. The price is nearly 10,000 yuan.

　　An unnamed staff member of the Tianjin Civil Affairs Bureau’s Funeral Operation Office said in an interview with Jiemian News that public cemeteries and public ashes halls are public welfare funeral facilities that provide the burial of ashes for local villagers in rural areas, and foreign operations are prohibited. Activities, once found to be sold to the outside, will be severely punished according to law.