A delegation would soon meet with Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Chairman of the National Minority Commission to address the issue.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Apprehension is growing that the Delhi Jal Board may encroach upon a land allotted for a cemetery in Inderlok’s Shahzada Bagh in the northwest district of the national capital.
The Jal Board is the government agency responsible for supply of potable water to most of the National Capital Territory region of Delhi.
Zakir Hussain, a social activist and head of Delhi Anjuman, has raised alarm over the increasing encroachment of the cemetery land, reserved for a graveyard in 2014 by former Union Minister Kapil Sibal. Hussain claims that the Delhi Jal Board is unauthorisedly laying water pipelines on the cemetery grounds.
Hussain, also an RTI activist who campaigns for the protection of land and property of minorities, said the intended purpose of the land allocation has been compromised since the power changed hands at the Centre.
Despite being earmarked for a graveyard, burial activities have not commenced on the land, leading to the area becoming a source of worry for local residents. What was once a play area for children has now transformed into a site with accumulated water and piled-up debris.
Local residents, taking matters into their own hands, initiated efforts to clean the area and began repair work on the boundary wall. However, during the repairs, the main gate was broken, providing unauthorised access to supply of materials enabling the Delhi Jal Board to lay the pipelines.
Hussain said a delegation would soon meet with Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Chairman of the National Minority Commission to address this matter. “We have discussed this issue with officials from DDA and other agencies, who assured us that the Jal Board will remove the pipes in the coming days. We suspect a conspiracy by various organisations to unlawfully occupy the cemetery land.”
Expressing disappointment, Hussain highlighted that despite the local MLA’s lack of action on the matter, the community had overwhelmingly supported the Aam Aadmi Party in the past. The encroachment by government institutions on land specifically designated for a cemetery remains a contentious issue, requiring urgent attention and resolution.
