The title seems to be a little bit off, but the story is pretty much real. And this is all coming for the French. The mayor of a village in southwest France confronted with a severe issue: the cemetery is full, without any square to spare. To address the issue, Mayor Gerard Lalanne threatened the villagers with severe punishments if they were about to die.

The 260 residents of the village were told “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.”

Why these drastic measures you ask? The administrative court from a nearby village decided that the village Sarpourenx would not be allowed to extend its burrial grounds.

“It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me,” he said.

via Reuters; photo source: Richard