Assam: Cremation Ground in Margherita Sub Divisional Lies Idle for Years

OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: One of the Hindu cremation grounds of Margherita Sub Divisional located at ward No. 6 at Bishnupur in Mugongpather Pother II Village under Margherita Legislative Assembly segment of Tinsukia district is allegedly lying non-functional for several years. The said cremation ground, also called as abode of liberation in Hindu mythology, was built using public funds under 14th Finance for the year 2016-17 under the supervision of Inthem Gram Panchayat under Margherita Development Block.

“The most unfortunate aspect of the concrete cremation ground lies in the fact that not a single dead body has been cremated here ever since it was built due to its inaccessible location bounded by the bank of Noa Dehing River, a tea garden and a rivulet on its three sides,” said Nar Bahadur Chetry, one of the five members of the team visiting the site with The Sentinel on Monday afternoon.

Pertinent questions were also raised about the quality of the work carried out allegedly in an irrational manner without any amenities of water and electricity at the cremation ground. Meanwhile, Chetry, the son of the donor of the land Late Ratna Bahadur Chetry, alleged that the said plot of cremation ground, measuring more than five bighas, has now been reduced allegedly due to encroachment by a local businessman of Pengaree Charali. “Since 1968, the people of the nearby villages including Brahmajan, Tokopather I, II and III, Mugongpather I and II, and Jarip Village have been using a traditional Hindu cremation ground presently located close to the said concrete cremation ground,” said Kul Bahadur Sonar. “But due to sudden physical obstruction and closure of the 45-year-old road leading to the traditional cremation ground, we are facing untold sufferings and inconvenience,” added Kul Bahadur Sonar. “The people cannot use the concrete cremation ground either, due to unfavourable topography, lack of bridge and lack of road and of course encroachment by the private individual,” shared Sonar.

“Physical barricade by way of metal fencing erected by one of the local garden owners recently has been understood as malafide intention of encroaching areas of the old cremation ground too sharing border with his garden,” alleged Sal Bahadur Chetry, a senior citizen of the Mugongpather Village accompanying the team. The pallbearers also had fallen miserably earlier on the road along with the bier due to the bad condition of the road (connecting the cremation ground road), allegedly caused due to reckless and intentional act of the businessman running his commercial vehicles.

According to the locals, the matter was earlier brought to the knowledge of the concerned Mandal under Margherita Circle verbally but he has turned deaf ears till now. The people suspect the step-motherly attitude of the administration as one driven by favouritism towards the established businessman of Pengaree Charali.

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