MUMBAI: ‘Nothing else will be done on the lands reserved for burial grounds, crematoriums. Therefore, the Bombay High Court has directed the Thane Municipal Corporation that whatever is unauthorized on such lands should be dealt with according to law. After the population of Thane increased in the last few years, the population of the Christian community also increased. As a result burial grounds are severely inadequate for the Christian community of over three lakhs. But, not enough land is provided by the Thane Municipal Corporation’, said five residents of Garhane, including Melvin Fernandes, Adv. Filed through Public Interest Litigation by Sunita Banes.
In this regard, the Municipal Corporation clarified its position through two affidavits through senior advocate Ram Apte. Also, about 250 to 300 people from the Christian community die in Thane city every year. At present, a total of one thousand 900 sq.m. The area’s land is used as a burial ground for this community. That much land is enough. Moreover, there is a plan to increase it further in the future’, said Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Nitin Jamdar in charge of the municipality. Arif Doctor’s bench was told.
Along with this, the municipality also gave a list of lands reserved for burial ground, crematorium and joint crematorium and memorial park in Thane. However, some of these lands are encroached by slums and one land has constructions and one land is under Special Economic Zone. The municipality also informed that some lands fall under the CRZ area. At the same time, ‘reserved land of the burial ground at Bhainder Pada is in the possession of Balaji Enterprises and the Municipal Corporation has also given them a mandate’, alleged Adv. Sunita did.
Thereafter ‘the lands reserved for burial grounds or crematoriums shall not be occupied unless the reservation is removed. Therefore, whatever is unauthorized on such lands, the Municipal Corporation should take action according to law. That path is open to the municipality’, the bench explained in its order.