PANAJI
The State government on Friday constituted a House Committee to establish and regulate a common crematorium or burial grounds for all sections of the society across all panchayats and municipal areas.
The House Committee under Law Minister Alexio Sequeira has to submit its report in the next session of the Goa Legislative Assembly. The committee will deliberate on the need to bring in legislation on the matter.
The Committee will be represented by one MLA each from all parties -- BJP, Congress, Goa Forward Party, Aam Aadmi Party, MGP and RGP and one Independent MLA.
BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral and Independent MLA Chandrakant Shetye had moved a private member resolution demanding a common or dedicated site for crematorium grounds.
Cabral recommended that the Government enact a Legislation, in a time-bound manner and in any case not later than six months, to establish and regulate crematorium/burial grounds for all sections of the society, at all Panchayats in the State of Goa.
“The Government has to acquire land and set up facilities at the earliest and hand them over to local self-government bodies for the benefit of all sections of society as in many places in Goa people are still facing grave difficulties in conducting final rites of the deceased in a dignified manner,” he said.
On the other hand, Shetye recommended that the government makes it compulsory for every municipal council/corporation to earmark a specific area for burial without any bias of caste or gender. Separate burial sites as per density of population of minority communities to be notified and earmarked.
