VASCO
One of the oldest organisation in Vasco taking up various social and cultural activities, the Murgao Hindu Samaj (MHS) which also manages the Vasco Hindu crematorium at Kharewado on Thursday evening addressed media requesting the Government to take the MHS in confidence and involve them for the proposed new eco friendly crematorium project at Maimolem which was to be taken up by GSUDA.
MHS has also said that while they have not opposed the construction of the long pending crematorium projec through GSUDA, they have offered an option that the Government to long lease the area to MHS who may take up the project at own costs in case the Government was struggling for funds amidst the pandemic.
MHS Spokesperson Shekar Khadapkar speaking to media said that MHS led by president, philantropist and industrialist Narayan Bandekar, had taken keen interest in the crematorium project at Maimolem.
"The land was reserved for this project by former MMC Chairperson Yeshwant Rao Chowgule and in 1969 it was officially notified as a crematorium zone in the Gazette after which in 1971 MMC took the possession of the land. For around 38 years till 2009 no one paid attention but after Bandekar took over the MHS in 2009 ,he started correspondence regarding the project and after 41 long years, MMC in 2012 took a resolution to build a compound on the area.In 2013, a council meeting decided to have over the land to MHS to take up the crematorium project.
"There were several correspondence regarding the hand over of the land to MHS. However in 2020 when the MMC took a resolution , it came to light that the Zone had been changed from crematorium zone to A1 settlement zone. MMC later got the zone changed and wrote a letter to GSUDA to take up this project." said Khadapkar.
"We have no objection on the GSUDA taking up the project but they must involve us as well and take us into confidence In this project. In case the GSUDA or the Government is facing financial crunch amidst the Covid 19 pandemic, they can lease the area to MHS for 99 years and MHS led by our President Narayan Bandekar and our members will take up this long pending dream project and get it done within a short time. We request Urban Development Minister Milind Naik, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and MLAs Carlos Almeida and Alina Saldanha to talk to the CM Pramod Sawant and get this project completed immediately through GSUDA or hand over the land on lease to MHS so that this project can see the light of the days as soon as possible," said Khadapkar.
MHS Member Santosh Khorjuvekar said that MHS had made a project estimated at around Rs5.5 crores.
"The only issue was the title deed of the land was not clear and we wrote to MMC to offer us a clear title deed and handover the land to us to take up the project. However the project has been planned to be taken up by GSUDA who has written to MMC asking for necessary relevant documents and we felt that we have not been involved despite taking so much efforts since a long time. We only request the Government to make us a party in this project so that the project is systematically executed and maintainence of the crematorium can also be taken up by the MHS," said Khorjuvekar.
