MUNICIPAL CORPORATION ENCROACHES BURIAL GROUND IN VADODARA

Muslims of Dahoh town of Vadodara district in Gujarat are worried that Municipal Corporation is encroaching their burial ground for construction work. Muslims in the area have opposed the ongoing construction work near Dargah Chaab Talav Sunni Kabarsthan, alleging several graves on the age-old burial ground have been razed for the project. The construction work is being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation for a highway project under the tribal development schemes. “The municipal corporation did not send us any notice before starting the work. There is a stay order dated August 24, 2006, by Principal Civil Judge prohibiting any kind of expansion or changes to the burial ground as the case of possession of the land remains undecided to this date,” said Asif Saiyyad, a member of the Sunni community from Dahod who had recently appealed against the work before District Collector, R M Jadhav. Saiyyad said nearly 250 graves were razed by bulldozers and opposed the official version of damage to only one or two graves. He alleged that most of the people, who support the project, want to start their own real estate business or set up showrooms as the land rates are going to touch the sky once the highway opens for public.