Goa: Locals, church officials demand clarity on cemetery land boundaries in Sonsoddo

Margo: The controversial issue of the cemetery project (Muslim cemetery) in Sonsoddo is once again in the news. On Friday, villagers of Raiya and Borda demanded clarification of the boundary points of the acquired land. On Saturday morning, a team from the Land Survey Department, along with Margao Municipal Council officials, reached the site to demarcate the land. He faced a difficult time when the villagers and committee members of Our Lady of Snows Church, Raya and St. Joaquim Chapel, Borda insisted on showing the border point. Both the groups made it clear that they would not allow the Survey Department officials to enter the property for demarcation of the land acquired for the cemetery. People also clarified that they are not against the demarcation exercise or the project. However, as neighboring property owners, they were kept in the dark. Keeping in mind the issues raised by the people of both the villages, a survey department team led by S Sawant started marking the boundary points before the actual demarcation. Speaking to reporters, Raya Church Fabrica’s attorney William Barreto clarified that they will not allow the relevant authorities to enter the church property because no one has taken any permission to access their property or informed them. Have done. “We are very clear from our side. Let the survey department mark the boundary points first. We are neither against the demarcation of the land acquired for the cemetery, nor of the project. Our concern is to protect church property,” he said. Pascoal Noronha, a committee member of St. Joachim’s Chapel, Borda, also said that until the border points are clear, they will not allow anyone to enter their property. “One thing everyone should keep in mind is that the land owned by Borda Chapel, where the cemetery has been constructed, is not part of the land acquired for burial grounds for all communities, including the cemetery. The survey number of our land is different.” These sentiments were also echoed by local residents like Basilio Fernandes and parishioners of Raya Church. Meanwhile, survey officer Sawant said they will first inspect the reference points of the land acquired for the cemetery and the actual survey will begin in the coming days.