Demarcation done, but no headway on Sonsodo Kabrastan

The land acquired by the Margao Municipal Council for burial grounds at Sonsodo.

MARGAO
Hazard a guess on the status of the burial grounds proposed at Sonsodo on the Margao Municipal Council land admeasuring 30,191 square metres acquired way back in the year 2011?

For an answer, consider this. When Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao tabled a question in the Assembly in the Monsoon session last year, Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane had replied saying the matter presently is sub judice before the High Court in the PIL WP 60 of 2019.

The Minister further replied that the matter with regards to the alternate access to the acquired land is sub judice before the High Court awaiting a decision. “Once the decision/ direction is given by the High Court and as required, the Margao Municipal Council shall hand over the alternate access to GSUDA to complete the codal formalities for tendering the work,” Rane had stated in his reply dated August 1, 2024.

Exactly six months down the line, nothing seemed to have been heard on the burial ground/ Kabrastan matter. Neither is any solution in sight to the claims made by other religious communities seeking a plot of land to set up burial ground/ crematorium facility on the 30,181 square metres of land.

When The Goan contacted the Margao Municipal Council to shed light on the status of the Kabrastan issue, a civic official pointed out that the matter is sub judice, adding that the authorities are awaiting High Court’s directions on the issue.

If one goes by the reply of Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane, the High Court had issued an order a year ago on February 20, 2024 issuing directions/ instructions to the Member Secretary, Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) for demarcation of the land acquired after it transpired there is no access to the proposed Kabrastan site. Incidentally, the 

process of demarcation, as per the Minister’s reply, was completed by the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records on March 14, 2024.

The Minister’s reply further stated that the survey had noticed that the only access to the land acquired for development of Kabrastan was “encroached” by the cemetery managed by St Joaquim Chapel Committee, Borda. In this connection, the Minister had further replied that the Chapel committee has submitted to the High Court that there is an alternate access available from the adjacent property, which can be used for Kabrastan.

Questions are raised whether the alternate access has been taken possession by the Margao Municipal Council after entering into an agreement of MoU with the land holder and if yes, whether the land is handed over to the GSUDA to float a tender to execute the work on the Kabrastan.

Did MMC acquire land without taking into account road access?

MARGAO: Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane’s reply in the House on the Sonsodo burial ground that the only access to the acquired land at Sonsodo is being “encroached” by the cemetery managed by the St Joaquim Chapel Committee, Borda makes reading interesting.

In fact, a question is being raised whether the only access to the acquired land at Sonsodo was “encroached” by the cemetery committee or that the Margao Municipal Council had acquired the only road access to the cemetery for the burial grounds at the time of land acquisition.

For, if people of Borda are to be believed, the cemetery of St Joaquim Chapel at Sonsodo has been existing at the site much before the MMC had resolved in 2010 to acquire the land for the burial grounds for all the three religious communities.

This has only thrown up the oft repeated question why did the MMC acquire the road access to the existing cemetery when the civic body could have very well acquire alternate land as a road access at the time of land acquisition for the burial grounds. It’s another matter that the St Joaquim Chapel has suggested an alternate access to the acquired land, but sources in the know say the MMC had acquired the land in 2010-11 without taking the ground reality into account.

MARGAO: The reply given by Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane to Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on the question whether the Margao Municipal Council had acquired the land at Sonsodo for crematorium/ burial grounds for all the three religious communities or only for the Muslim community.

Rane’s reply has stated that the MMC, in its meeting held on June 28, 2010 had resolved vide the resolution No 3808 to acquire the land admeasuring 30,191 square meters  in Chalta No. 1 P.T Sheet No 49 & 50 at Sonsodo for the purpose of burial grounds for all the three communities.

In the same reply, the Urban Development Minister further says the MMC meeting held a year later on June 13, 2011 resolved to modify the resolution No 3808 passed on June 28, 2010 to the effect that the land acquired at Sonsodo shall be utilised for Muslim community only. “Accordingly, the acquired land was proposed for Kabrastan,” the reply added.

The reply as far as modifying the previous Council resolution to utilise the acquired land only for the Muslim community has raised eyebrows in the corridors of the Margao civic body. For, councillors, who were part of the civic body during that period, feign ignorance about any resolution modifying the earlier resolution, throwing up questions whether the previous resolution to acquire the land for the burial grounds for all the three communities was passed to give an impression that the burial grounds is meant for any particular community to keep opposition and objections at bay.

MARGAO: Has the House Committee constituted by the State government to establish and regulate common crematorium or burial grounds for all sections of the society across all panchayats and municipal areas made any headway in addressing the burning issue of burial grounds across the State?

Set up in February 2024 under the chairmanship of Law Minister Aleixo Sequeira, the House panel was given a brief to submit its report in the next session of the Goa Legislative Assembly and to deliberate on the need to bring in legislation on the matter.

A year later, Chairman of the House panel, Aleixo Sequeira had on Friday called for details from the Margao Municipal Council on the status of the burial grounds proposed at Sonsodo.

After the MMC official could not furnish the relevant details, the Law Minister cautioned that the MMC will have to face action if the details concerning the Sonsodo Kabrastan are not submitted by Monday.

When asked whether the House panel has reached any conclusion on the contentious issue of common burial grounds across the State, Sequeira said the panel had some meetings adding that the panel is keen to address the burial ground issue at Sonsodo. He also admitted that representations have come in from religious communities with a plea to allot the Sonsodo land for burial grounds. “The panel as well as the government will take a call on all these issues and work out a solution,” Sequeira assured.