Passing the buck continues over land for kabrastan at Margao

MARGAO, MAY 6
The blame game and the game of passing the buck continues over the long-pending demand of Margao’s Muslim community for a spacious kabrastan.
If the Margao Municipal Council pushed the ball in the court of the District Collector, South by asking the district revenue head to identify land for burial grounds for the three religious communities some time back, the District Collector has returned the ball back in the court of the Civic body.
Sources in the know said the District Collector, G P Naik has put a note clearly stating that the Margao Civic body puts up a concrete proposal before his office and supported by documents on the land to be acquired for acquisition for the purpose.
This clearly indicates that the District Collector has made it very clear to the Civic body that his office is not a acquiring department and only acquires land based on requisition received from concerned department.
The District Collector’s note also implies that the revenue office wants the local Civic body to shortlist and identify suitable land for the burial grounds before submitting a concrete proposal for land acquisition.
Incidentally, the Margao Municipal Council had pushed the ball in the court of the Magistrate after they shied away in identifying land for the burial grounds at the special Council meeting convened specifically to address the burning issue.
Meanwhile, sources in the know informed that the District Collector is believed to have filed a detailed report to the Chief Secretary on the questions raised by the National Commission for the Minorities vis-à-vis kabrastan.
Sources in the know said the Collector is reported to have stated in his report that is purely for the Social Welfare department to move to his office after identification of land for the purpose of land acquisition.
Meanwhile, the Chief Secretary has been summoned by the National Commission for the minorities on May 25 with all reports and documents on the long-pending demand for a kabrastan by Margao’s Muslim community.