Kabrastan tangle resurfaces: Demarcation drama drags on as boundary battle brews

The survey underway at the Margao-Curtorim road in Sonsodo.

MARGAO
The sensitive kabrastan issue resurfaced as surveyors from the Land Survey Department, accompanied by officials from the Margao Municipal Council, returned to Sonsodo to conduct demarcation of the boundaries vis-à-vis the acquired property for the proposed kabrastan and the properties belonging to the Raia Church and St Joaquim Chapel, Borda.

The survey assumes significance and comes in light of the authorities' ongoing struggle to identify and demarcate the land acquired for the approach road from the main road to the proposed kabrastan site located behind the Christian cemetery.

Further significance is added as the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), which has been mandated to build the kabrastan by the High Court, has proposed a bridge on stilts or a lift connecting the main road to the acquired land for the proposed kabrastan for want of a road access.

Last time around when the Margao Municipality had called for a demarcation, there was objection raised by the locals of Raia as well as Borda on the ground that the property owners were not intimated of the proposed demarcation.

A police force was mobilised at the site as a precautionary measure by the Goa Police before the Margao Municipality officials and the surveyors reached the main Margao-Curtorim road at Sonsodo. This time around, however, the Fabrica of Raia Church and the St Joaquim Chapel, Borda were served a notice, intimating them of the demarcation and soliciting their presence at the site.

Representatives of the Borda Chapel as well as the Raia Church, besides engineers of the Margao Municipal Council were seen in a huddle with the surveyors trying to figure out the survey numbers of the property in question.

Pascoal Norohna told the media that the Borda Chapel cemetery is not part of the acquired land, saying the cemetery falls under survey no 50/2 and what is acquired falls under survey No 50/1 and 49/1. “Between the eastern boundary of the Chapel cemetery and the western boundary of Raia, there is a parcel of land which falls in 50/1. This is what I want to clarify,” Norohna said.

William Baretto of Fabrica of Raia Church contended that they have not allowed the survey team to enter the Church property nor to cut any trees or vegetation for the simple reason there is no clarity on the exercise. “The demarcation was done in the past, but we cannot see any stones placed on the site. Our contention is simple, we are not allowing them to cut the trees unless there is clarity. We are not allowing them to enter our property till the confusion is cleared,” he added.

Sarpanch of Camurlim village Basil Fernandes said the Raia Fabrica has objected to the entry of the team in the Church property for the reason that they do not know their boundaries. “We have no objection to the demarcation, but they should also know the boundary points. First, let the team get the points and fix the demarcation,” Basil said.

Sources in the know informed that the kabrastan matter had come up for hearing on January 3 wherein the issue of demarcation came up for discussion. The matter will come up for hearing in the High Court on January 17.