MARGAO
The anti-kabrastan agitation gained momentum on Wednesday with a joint meeting of Sirvodem and Navelim villagers at Sirvodem sending a stern message to TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to stay away from Navelim.
The meeting demanded that Sardesai set up the proposed kabrastan either on the land acquired for the truck terminus near his residence or any of his properties in Fatorda.
The agitating residents have sought an appointment with the minister tentatively on Thursday morning to explain to him their strong reservations against the kabrastan in the flood plains of Sirvodem.
Navelim villager George Baretto made it clear to the TCP Minster not to take the Catholic community for granted, reminding that the Catholics are not wearing bangles and are ready to take on his challenge.
“Please stay away from Navelim otherwise we will not leave you, Catholics are not wearing bangles. If Sardesai has love for the Muslim community, he can provide land owned by his wife or allot a part of the land acquired for the truck terminus near his residence,” George said amidst thunderous applause from the residents.
George disclosed plans to convene a public meeting at Navelim to mobilise support from the villagers of Navelim and elsewhere against the TCP Minister’s plan to fill up low-lying fields for the proposed kabrastan. “Let us all remain united and oppose this project. In the past, Navelkars had to bear the brunt of waste and sewage and now they want to bulldoze their way and set up the kabrastan in our backyard,” he said.
George also lashed out at Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, saying the latter cannot abdicate his responsibility by blaming the government for proposing the burial ground at Sirvodem-Navelim, even as he made it clear they were not against Muslims.
The speakers reiterated that residents of Sirvodem and Navelim are not opposed to the kabrastan, but to the filling of low-lying land and water catchment areas for the project. Saying that residents of Sirvodem are all sons of the soil, local Xavier Fernandes demanded to know whether the TCP Minister, Margao MLA or the ward councillor ever took the local residents into confidence before proposing the kabrastan. “How can the government even dream of filling up the low-lying area? The TCP Minister has made conflicting statements on the issue. We have sought appointment with him on Thursday. The elected representatives should resolve the issue before it goes out of hand,” he said, while adding that the residents will even knock the doors of the judiciary for justice.
A land owner Christopher Fernandes, who owns around 1500 square meters of land, told the media that he has not received any notice to acquire his property. A farmer Milagres Mascarenhas also said that no one has approached him to acquire his fields for the proposed kabrastan.
