MARGAO
The St Joaquim Chapel, Borda on Thursday opened the gates of the Chapel cemetery located at Sonsodo to pave way for the demarcation of the land acquired for the proposed kabrastan in the adjoining property.
The report of the demarcation exercise, carried out by officials of the Land Survey department with police protection, will be placed before the High Court at the next date of hearing on April 1. The bigger question, however, remains unanswered “ will the demarcation of the property resolve the vexed issue of road access to the land acquired for the proposed kabrastan at Sonsodo and pave the way for the construction of the burial grounds for the Muslim community?
The demarcation assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of the High Court order dated March 4, wherein the Court was categorical in stating the survey and demarcation are necessary for the implementation of the Court orders towards the construction of the kabrastan.
Today’s demarcation exercise was attended by St Joaquim Chaplain Fr Simon D’Cunha and the Chapel committee members, the Parish Priest of Raia Church and the Attorney of Fabrica William Barretto and a representative of the Bishop Palace, besides, officials of Land Survey Department, Margao Municipal Council, Director of Municipal Administration and Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA).
A land survey official told the media that the survey cum demarcation exercise has been completed and the report will be placed before the High Court at the next date of hearing.
It would be pertinent to note that at the last date of hearing in the High Court, the Advocate General D Pangam had submitted that a proper survey of the property under PT Sheet No. 50, Chalta No. 1 of the City of Margao, where kabrastan is proposed, is necessary. For this, the Advocate General had submitted that the government surveyors would have to go through the property surveyed under Survey No. 50/2 held by the Chapel.
Adv J E Coelho Pereira, lawyer representing Fr Simon D’Cunha, has submitted that there is an apprehension that the Chapel property might be used as an access for the kabrastan. Adv Coelho Pereira further submitted that from outside the Chapel property, there was access to the property under PT Sheet No. 50 and Chalta No. 1 linking directly to the main road.
Against this backdrop, the moot question has remained unanswered “ has the survey and demarcation achieved the objective and will it pave the way for the construction of the kabrastan with a road access to the acquired property?
Interestingly, the Advocate General had sought to allay the apprehensions of the Chapel committee members by explaining there was no question of seeking access through the Chapel property for the purpose of the kabrastan. In fact, Adv Pangam had submitted that all that the surveyors wanted to do was go through the Chapel property to carry out an effective survey and nothing further.
The Advocate General’s submission had in fact prompted the High Court to observe that since the government has already made it clear that there is no question of seeking access over the Chapel’s property for the purpose of the kabrastan, they expect that all the parties, including the Chapel or the Church of Raia, to render full cooperation to the government for purpose of survey and demarcation. Such survey and demarcation are necessary for the implementation of the Court orders.
Officials present for the demarcation declined to shed light on the findings of the exercise, whether the Margao Municipal Council had acquired land for the access road to the proposed kabrastan through the Chapel cemetery or whether the civic body had failed to make a provision for a dedicated road access to the acquired land at the time of land acquisition.
