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Time of India

Acquire land for common burial: HC to Meghalaya

Guwahati: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the state govt to take immediate steps to acquire the required land for common burial purposes, either by acquisition or private treaty. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court of chief justice IP Mukerji and justice W Diengdoh was hearing a petition filed by 'Re-Seng Khasi Hima Crematorium,' raising the issue of a dearth of crematoria and the lack of willingness of the Khasis and the Jaintias to share a particular crematorium. Initially, the scope of the PIL was confined to facilitating the cremation of persons belonging to Khasi and Jaintia communities on one hand and those embracing the Hindu religion on the other throughout the state. The court, in its order on Monday, stated it carefully examined the detailed report filed by Additional Advocate General K Khan and the report filed by Amicus Curiae N Syngkon. The court also noted that the result of the meetings between the Amicus Curiae and the public authorities appears to be that some Christian denominations, through churches and other religious orders, own private cemeteries. "Those denominations having private cemeteries are reluctant to share their cemeteries with other denominations. They have no objection to sharing cemeteries which are acquired by the govt or public authority and designated for common burial for all communities irrespective of faith," the court said. Stating that the common burial grounds are very few in number compared to the number of dead and the demand for space for their interment, the court said the villages have community land belonging to the village people in common, and a part of it may be gifted for common burial purposes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "However, substantial land is required across the districts for the above common burial purpose, if any progress is to be made towards solving this problem. These lands need to be acquired by the govt through the land acquisition machinery or through private sale or treaty," the court stated. The court further directed the Amicus Curiae to move the chief secretary of the state to form a committee led by the chief secretary as the chairperson to hold meetings between all stakeholders, including representatives of the district councils, representatives of churches or religious orders, administrative officers, state legal counsel and local functionaries for the purpose of acquisition of land for common burial.