Christians plan to protest, demand plot for cemetery

We have sought advice from lawyers, NGOS and churches and have filed a PIL in the HC for neglecting our basic right of a burial ground.

The people belonging to the Christian community, residing in the western suburbs, plan to protest against the failure of the government to deliver on their promise to provide them with a burial ground.

According to members of the community, a plot was provided to them for burials in a composite cemetery at Kandivli in 1998. But it was encroached upon by others because of delay in constructing a boundary wall. The alternative plot promised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to be allotted. Another plot belonging to state government at Aarey Colony required a process to change reservation which was approved by BMC in May 2016. The allotment of this plot has been cancelled, said community members.

The Dahisar-khar area has a Christian population of several lakhs and all the major cemeteries are on the western section of the suburbs. “People who live in slums or in hilly neighbourhood take almost two hours to reach western side of the suburbs for a Christian cemetery,” said Joachim Colaco, a trustee o United Christian Community Centre (UCCC). “It is shocking to see that in January 2017, the stat cancelled the allotment of ceme tery land at Aarey. We plan t protest soon,” Colaco said.

The community is trying t acquire the Aarey Colony plot bu have complained that a nullah that is being constructed insid will affect the cemetery layout BMC officials were not availabl for comment.