The High Court on Monday set a deadline for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state government to provide three more burial grounds for Muslims in the eastern suburbs. At the same time, the municipal corporation was ordered to complete the work on the burial ground at Deonar by the end of December. Apart from this, a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar also directed the municipal corporation to examine the feasibility of the site adjacent to the garbage dump in Rafiq Nagar area and one and a half km away from the existing burial ground within a month.
Out of the total 5242.28 square meter area in Deonar, 2264.74 square meter area has been reserved for slum rehabilitation schemes. The notification was issued in the month of March. However, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani clarified through an affidavit in the court that the work related to the burial ground has been delayed as this notification was challenged in the High Court. The court took cognizance of this affidavit. Also, apart from the land reserved for the SRA scheme, it was ordered to develop burial grounds in the rest of the area. Similarly, it was also explained to secure this place with a fence so that there is no encroachment on this place. The court has also asked the developer implementing the SRA scheme to implement this order.
The land owned by M/s Oswal Agro Mills Limited (formerly Union Carbide India Limited) has been reserved for a burial ground and the court has ordered that the process of possession of this land be completed within three months. The court clarified that the state government has completed negotiations with Oswal for this plot and 30 percent of the value will be paid as financial compensation and the rest of the compensation will be paid by the municipality in the form of TDR. 50 percent TDR will be paid to the company in advance. The court also clarified that the remaining TDR will be given after the plot is handed over.
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The court passed the above decision on a plea filed by Govandi-based Shamsher Ahmed, Abrar Chaudhary and Abdul Rehman Shah through advocate Altaf Khan for additional burial ground. Meanwhile, the court had clarified during the previous hearing that the right to be cremated with dignity is as important as other rights of a person.
Also, the careless attitude of the BMC in not providing space for additional burial ground in the Deonar area for the last two years despite repeated orders was reported. Due to this careless role of the Municipal Corporation, the problem of burying dead bodies has arisen. Where should the citizens bury the dead bodies? Should we go to Mars for that? Such an angry question was also asked by the court to the municipal corporation. Similarly, the Municipal Commissioner was ordered to explain all this and make efforts to find a new place for the burial ground.