TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: It’s official. The Revenue Department has said that work on the kabrastan for Margao’s Muslim community at Sonsodo is awaiting government’s nod, even as the latter conceded that earth excavation work could not commence on the project due to large variation in the excavation estimates.
Under Secretary (Revenue) Anju S Kerkar conveyed the status of the work on the Kabrastan at Sonsodo to the Director (Wakf), Ministry of Minority Affairs, New Delhi.
The Under Secretary maintained that work of construction of the Kabrastan at Sonsodo was awarded to Ms Gaj construction on December 23, 2011. “However, the work could not be commence as there was a large variation in the earth work excavation noticed due to ground level difference in the sanctioned estimates,” she told the Wakf Director.
Saying that the department has prepared a revised plan and is awaiting approval, Kerkar said that the work is likely to begin on receipt of the approved drawing.
With reference to the existing burial ground at Pajifond, the Revenue Under Secretary said that work is at the completion stage.
Herald understands that the file of the revised plan is still lying with the office of the Chief Minister and the PWD would begin construction work on the kabrastan only after receiving the nod from the office of the former.
Many eye brows have been raised over the inordinate delay on part of the government to begin construction work on the kabrastan on land admeasuring 30,000 sq mts, even as the petitioner before the Minority Rights Commission Abdul Matin Carol has reiterated his stand that the acquired land at Sonsodo is not at all feasible for the proposed burial grounds. “The government should abide by the resolution adopted in the Goa Legislative Assembly to build the kabrastan on Comunidade land at Aquem. The Sonsodo land is not at all feasible because of the steep gradient,” he asserted.
