Assam: Complaint over Encroachment on Cremation Ground at Bishnupur

OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: The villagers of Mugongpather I, II, Tolopather, and Lalmati under Inthem Panchayat on Saturday filed a written complaint to the concerned village headman demanding an immediate public meeting in regard to barricading the road leading to a Hindu cremation ground at Bishnupur in Mugongpather under Margherita Subdivision.

According to the copy of the letter, a local tea grower identified as Babu Sahab has arbitrarily imposed a barricade on the road being used for decades for cremating the dead, causing untold inconvenience to the people. The letter also alleged the businessman of encroaching on a portion of the said cremation ground adjacent to his garden in his bid to expand the garden.

The people of the affected villages urged the village headman to remove the obstruction imposed through a public meeting in the village. “We have records of the road on the map. If the road is private at all, how could the government provide electricity along the road amidst the garden?” wondered Nar Bahadur Chetry, a senior villager. “We would appeal to the Gaonbura to resolve the issue locally, failing which we would escalate further till the deadlock is resolved,” added Chetry.

The Mandal, upon instruction by the revenue department, visited the site for verification earlier on March 26 along with the Gaonbura and local villagers.

Meanwhile, talking to The Sentinel on Saturday afternoon, the circle officer said that based on the official record, action would be initiated as per the provision. “I am yet to ascertain the official status of the said land. However, I am hopeful that a road to the cremation ground would be provided for public utilities,” added the official.

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