MARGAO: A two-member team of the national commission for minorities (NCM), New Delhi, will visit Goa on August 24 and 25 to inspect the site acquired by the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for a kabrastan at Sonsoddo. The visit is aimed at "ascertaining the suitability of the location" for the burial ground, sources informed.
NCM vice chairperson HT Sangliana and member Syeda Imam will constitute the two-member team who will visit the state. The vice chairperson of the NCM holds the rank of the minister of the state, Government of India, sources said.Besides visiting the Sonsoddo site, the NCM team will also be shown four alternative sites that were identified by the MMC earlier, but were met with stiff opposition from the locals, MMC sources said.
As per the NCM's tour schedule, the team will also hold a meeting with community leaders to determine public opinion on the matter.
In a letter to the MMC, the directorate of municipal administration (DMA) has asked the chief officer of the civic body to make necessary arrangements for the NCM's visit. At the last hearing conducted on the kabrastan issue in July, the NCM-while agreeing with the petitioner's contention that the 31,000 sq m land at Sonsoddo identified by the government was not "environment-friendly"-had told the state government to consider shifting the garbage dump from Sonsoddo or look out for some more alternative sites for the kabrastan.
Abdulmatin Daud Carol, general secretary, Masjid-e-Gausiya, Margao, is the petitioner in the case.
