The HC posted the matter for hearing on November 14.A PIL has been recently moved by a lawyer and two others in the Bombay High Court seeking additional Sunni Muslim cemetery in the city’s Govandi area, citing shortage of space in existing cemeteries.
The petitioners informed that the HC in their earlier PIL had directed the BMC commissioner to decide the issues regarding shortfall of burial places in greater Mumbai including M-East ward comprising of Deonar-Govandi area. Instead in January this year the BMC’s public health department passed an order for closing down Deonar cemetery due to shortage of space.
The PIL sought from court to set aside the order and also to appoint a committee of experts to inspect the proposed Rafi Nagar cemetery in Deonar and file conclusive feasibility report and to remove encroachments among other reliefs. A division bench of Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice R N Laddha was hearing on October 21 the PIL by Shamsher Ahmed Shaikh and two other residents of Govandi area.
The plea filed through advocate Altaf Khan claimed that existing cemeteries in the area are fully utilised as whenever graves are dug up for burial, partially decomposed bodies are coming up, which leads to desecration. The PIL sought from court to quash and set aside BMC public health department’s order for closure of Deonar cemetery. It also sought appointment of an expert committee to study, research and evaluate the issue and file factual and conclusive report on proposed cemetery.
The HC posted the matter for hearing on November 14.