Pune: A proposed cremation and burial ground in the Old Sangvi area has become a contentious matter for people from different communities, with politicians entering the fray. The new draft development plan of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, which was passed on May 14 and uploaded to the PCMC website for citizen’s suggestions, proposes a 12,600sqm burial ground and crematorium in an open plot in Priyadarshini Nagar, located on the banks of Pawana River.While some residents, supported by local politicians, are opposing the burial ground and crematorium, stating they want a community space instead, people from Muslim and Christian communities have called it an urgent need, as they said there is a shortage of space in their existing burial grounds.Chetan Saste, a resident of Priyadarshini Nagar, which lies next to the proposed burial ground, said, “We don’t want the burial ground here, nor do residents of Mamata Nagar. We want a garden or a playground. We have filled up a form and submitted it to a local ex-corporator against this reservation.”Friends Sarthak Padale and Aditya Kamble said residents raised their concerns during a meeting with an ex-corporator about 10 days ago. “Nobody wants to live next to a burial ground. These places should be away from residential areas,” Padale said. But members of the Christian and Muslim communities are distressed that the administration will bow down to political pressure and cancel the reservation.“It is in the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, to ensure the minority community gets reservation for burial grounds. Besides, there are only a few burial grounds in the city, and the nearest one in Dapodi is unable to keep up with the growing numbers. Hence, we desperately need this. All communities that bury their dead need a place for dignified burial,” said Anwar Shaikh, chairperson of Miss Farha Charitable Foundation, who has already written to the PCMC.Munaf Haroon, trustee of Bopodi Mosque, said, “We received the land in Bopodi about 20–25 years ago, and it is a small parcel. Around 250 bodies have already been buried there. When new bodies arrive, we bury them in the same spots where earlier ones were laid to rest, as those have likely decomposed over time. However, full decomposition takes time. The burial grounds in Dapodi, Khadki, and other areas are also small, and many parts have been encroached upon. Therefore, there is a need for a burial ground in Sangvi to meet the growing demand,” Haroon said.Father Dennis Joseph of Saint Ignatius Church, Khadki, said they have launched a signature campaign in support of the proposed burial ground in Sangvi. “Everyone deserves a dignified place for burial. We currently have community burial grounds in Dapodi and Khadki, but there isn’t enough space. With more people moving to the metro for jobs, the population across all communities is growing, and death, too, is a part of life. Therefore, we need additional burial space. Among Christians, there is a tradition of family graves, where, after 3–4 years, another family member can be interred in the same grave. Once the signature campaign is complete, we will submit it to PCMC,” he said.BJP MLA from Chinchwad, Shankar Jagtap, has objected to the reservation, staff from his office said. Former corporator from Sangvi, Prashant Shitole, also said that there are burial grounds and crematoriums in nearby areas. “I have spoken with residents and they are opposing it. The civic body should find a different place for this. It cannot be near a residential place,” said Shitole.A PCMC official said, “This is a draft proposal and not a final one. It is uploaded so that people can suggest their views. The last date is July 14 to submit their views.”
