MARGAO: In order to resolve the long-pending Margao kabrastan issue, South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik on Friday asked the proponents and opponents of the proposed site to submit documents within seven days.
Taking cognisance of a letter from the leader of Muslim community Abdul Matin Karol drawing his attention that despite assurance by the then district collector in 2012 the issue is not resolved, the chief secretary had asked the Collector to hold a meeting of all the concerned parties and to submit a report. The meeting was held on
Friday.
Besides Karol, deputy collector Ajit Panchwadkar, MMC chief officer Y B Tavde, land owner Marcelino Fernandes, NGO member Felix Dias who opposes the site on the grounds that the it is a forest area, police officials including DySP Dinraj Govekar, PI C L Patil, officials of the PWD, advocates representing both the sides and Fr Mevrick Fernandes attended the meeting that lasted for nearly an
hour.
Naik revealed that a host of issues including compensation to the land owner, objections to the kabrastan at the site etc were raised amidst heated arguments with supporters claiming that the opposition is on flimsy grounds. However, the advocate representing the NGO member pointed out that the land in question is descending and almost 70 per cent needs to be levelled. He also claimed that the site has not got permission from the forest
department.
Land owner Marcelino Fernandes claimed that he has not been compensated with alternate land as promised by the then chief minister Digambar Kamat. The kabrastan issue is hanging fire for the last 10
years.