Team Goemkarponn
NARVEM: Villagers from Diwade (Divar Island), Akhada, Mudder, Banzvuya, Old Goa, Vashir and surrounding areas came together on Sunday over the disputed crematorium issue at the Trisanguem Ghat area in Narve.
The villagers offered a coconut at the local shrine near the crematorium and subsequently held a press conference, where they urged the government and the local MLA to convene a meeting with all concerned villagers before Ganesh Chaturthi and find a permanent solution to the issue.
According to the villagers, cremation and funeral rites have been conducted at the site for generations as part of an established tradition. They maintained that the traditional practice should continue at the same location and opposed any attempt to identify an alternative site or alter the existing arrangement.
The issue has reportedly caused resentment among villagers from several areas. They said the government should take all stakeholders into confidence before the matter escalates further and called upon the local MLA and authorities to take the initiative and convene a joint meeting.
“If a proper solution is not reached through discussions with us before Ganesh Chaturthi, we will approach the High Court and initiate legal proceedings seeking a stay on the ongoing work. If necessary, we will also pursue a legal battle to ensure that the work is permanently stopped,” the villagers warned.
The villagers said the matter is not merely related to a crematorium but is linked to long-standing religious and social traditions. They demanded that the sentiments of local residents, traditional practices and their customary rights be taken into consideration before any decision is taken.
