Team Herald
MARGAO: After hours of discussions and deliberations the kabrastan work may finally start rolling next Wednesday.
Three Catholic priests and several Muslims met the Margao Municipal chief officer in his cabin and demanded to set time frame for beginning the work of the kabrastan at Sonsodo.
Acceding to their demand, the chief officer promised to start the work next Wednesday.
Abdul Matin Karol, Fr Maverick Fernandes, Fr Savio, Fr Lucio Dias, residents of Margao and several Muslims met the chief officer to discuss and iron out the obstructions in the works of kabrastran.
Karol said, “We have demanded that the MMC set targets and start works and now the MMC has committed that it would start work by Wednesday.”
Davorlim resident Abdul Shaikh said, “They think we are a ball which they will pass for five years and kick us away later. The claims that the Catholics stopped the work are false as three parish priests have come with us for discussion at MMC and have proven that there is absolute unity on this issue.”
“This shows that the politicians are sending their men and stopping the work and want to increase the problems. This also shows that the politicians are raising the issue ahead of the assembly election just to use the people yet again this election.” Abdul alleged.
“The issue has been raised so that they control and keep the Muslim community under them and they understand that the Muslims won’t continue to support them if the work is done,” said a Margao resident.
“The Muslim community has been standing with the politicians with a hope that they would do their work, but till date they have fooled the community. There was a perception that the Catholic community was against the kabrastan and the attendance of thee priests Fr Maverick, Fr Savio and Fr Lucio has demonstrated that they are not against the kabrastan near Sonsodo,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fr Savio said, “We have been with the Muslim community and the Church has no objection for a kabrastan. In fact, we have supported the same.”
Meanwhile, Chief Officer Yashwant Tawde said that that if at all there is any law and order situation when the PWD starts the works, they would be provided with police security.
“It is our duty to give the rightful burial land. The PWD has delayed the excavation work and we have spoken to the PWD engineers and the contractor and asked them to start the work by Wednesday,” Tawde said.
The land was acquired in 2010 and was handed over to the MMC in 2011. But the work had stopped for want of approvals. Now after pressure was brought to bear on the municipality, approvals have been obtained.
