The Editor of ‘The Hitavada’ in his article in ‘Footloose in Nagpur’ dated April 30 has raised a very serious issue of fixing responsibility in the Pardi Crematorium land grabbing case. Everyone was aghast when it was spelt out in the NMC review meeting that out of 17 acres of land parcel earmarked for Pardi crematorium, only 1.5 acre remains. The declaration by NMC officials in the Mayor’s review meeting shows that the NMC Zonal Office was already aware of the illegal happenings. Then the question is why the officials kept it secret until the leader of Ruling Party in NMC raised the issue in the Mayor’s review meeting? Ideally, healthwise and pollution-wise, every crematorium should have a buffer area in its periphery. Barring a few, most of the crematoriums in Nagpur city have no buffer areas. Shanti Nagar ghat is a classic case of neglect of NMC officials in allowing the encroachers to grab land in close proximity. One must appreciate the yesteryear planners who made a provision of 17 acres of land parcel in the DP plan for Pardi crematorium.

 

The Mayor of Nagpur city has already ordered for a detailed investigation of the said land grabbing. The question is who will conduct the investigation and the time frame given? The irony is such investigation reports are never reflected in the public domain. It is a very sorry state of affairs that the vested interests have an eagle’s eye on public utility lands and are continuously executing their plan of land grabbing in full view and knowledge of NMC Zonal Offices. The illegal diversion of Pardi crematorium land is a very serious issue and the Nagpur Municipal Commissioner is expected to issue strict guidelines to all NMC Zonal Offices to safeguard the public utility lands. If the Pardi crematorium land diversion/grabbing is a recent one then it should be rectified on an urgent basis. Otherwise, it will be made a compromised and dead case by NMC.