WE CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
by Dolphy Dsouza
The Christian community is truly a soft target as is evident from the following
happenings and it is time for us to wake up and take a stand.
1. Our Lady of Assumption Church and St Joseph's School- Kandivali West
The BMC issued an acquisition notice to the Church / School to surrender parts
of the Cemetery, School Ground and Church for widening of the famously Poisar
River which has now become a stinking Nullah [Gutter] all because of the
callousness of the BMC authorities.
The core of the Brimstowad Project is that the flow of the river [now a
gutter]should be cleared so that the storm water flows clearly in the sea
without any blockages or impediments which will cause flooding.
Also the point to be noted is that this project was studied and a plan
constructed in 2008, despite this the BMC and other authorities have approved
constructions, just at the border of the nullah in numerous sites. The amazing
fact is that a bridge at Dahanukar wadi near the Church recently constructed
has a width which is less than 38 feet besides it being low that will act as
an impediment for the free flow of water. When questioned why this factors
were not taken into consideration, the BMC cited lack of funds , so the
question is who are we fooling here ?.
Hence there is no logic in widening the Nullah near the Cemetry /School /
Church side.
And instead of addressing this issue the BMC wants to waste the tax payers
money by demolishing existing structures and reconstructing at their cost what
they can easily achieve by de-silting the nullah and preventing garbage/ debris
from being dumped as now it has turned into a stinking nullah.
Have the BMC understood the objective of the project or are they interpreting
the same blindly, whereby a huge amount of money which can be used for needed
projects is being wasted, just because someone cannot think clearly or do not
want to?.
We stand to lose 100's of our graves of our ancestors, the Children numbering
over 1700 lose a playground and the BMC cannot provide open spaces [ whatever
empty spaces are left are usurped by unscrupulous builders in connivance with
the politicians and authorities].
Also when the new church was constructed couple of years ago the BMC insisted
that certain areas be demarcated and kept free for fire control and other
regulations, now the same BMC is stating that they can over look the same in
the name of progress. which means that in the name of progress all rules and
regulations which are by the book can be erased.so then why make such rules?
What purpose this widening will help for the smooth flow of water is a mystery
because at Mith-chowky (Malad) a major chunk of the nullah space has been
encroached under the very nose of the various authorities.
On two occasions the said church had given land in front of the church for road
widening without asking / claiming for any compensation. Tomorrow they might
ask the premises of the whole church including the grounds for other purposes
which we can never foretell. BMC works in strange ways.
This church is an heritage precinct with a history of over 400 years.
2. St Anthonys Church at Malawani, Malad West.
A similar notice of acquisition for road widening was issued by the BMC
authorities. This is also an heritage precinct.
While they want the church land for road widening, exactly opposite the Church
premises they have allowed constructions of residential / commercial premises
for which permissions were given as late as 2001.
While the church authorities have made several representations they have fallen
on deaf ears.
3. Cemetery on the East side of the Western Suburbs..
On October 14, 2012 there was a massive rally at Kandivali East of over 4000
Christians demanding their cemetery.
In 1996, land was allotted for a composite cemetery. But owing to the alleged
negligence/ lapses of the BMC in not constructing the designated boundaries,
this land was encroached upon. While the Muslim and the Hindu community got
their burial grounds, the Christians had no place to bury their dead as it was
encroached upon. The whole belt from Khar to Dahisar does not have a
Christian burial ground. There are over 3 lakh Christians and they dread death
because the cost of burying their dear ones is expensive as the nearest
Cemeteries at Charkop ,Malad West or Oshiwara, Goregaon West which are at a
distances of more than 5-15 kms.
>From 2003 the United Christian Community Centre has been agitating on this
>issue.Everyone including politicians promise. But when it comes to
>implementation they go into a coma.
The various groups have been contact with the local MP Shri Sanjay Nirupam. We
thank him for his involvement, but patience is slowly running out as we are
still unaware whether our issues will really be resolved or not ?
There have been constant approach by the Government and the BMC authorities in
the past to systematically target spaces of the Church and the community. In
the past they had tried to acquire the St Andrews' Church Cemetery and other
parts, St Peters Church / St Stanislaus School spaces and the Parsi Aguiary on
Hill Road, Bandra on the pretext of road widening. A defiant community and the
various NGO's [H West Federation, The Bombay Catholic Sabha, Activists and
concerned Politicians] made a hue and cry and the concerned authorities had to
abandon their nefarious designs.
St Josephs School , Hill Road land was given most willingly for footpath/ road
widening and now it has been encroached by Hawkers and others. Holy Family
Church and School have given major chunks of their land for road widening at
Chakala recently and several others too.
In 1942 under the Defence of India rules large chunks of land were acquired for
defence purposes from the East Indian Christian Community in the Sahar
/Santacruz belt. The community gave it most willingly for the nation at a
pittance. And today parts of the same land has been passed on to private
developers to build 5 star hotels etc. Recently MIAL, [Airport Authorities]
made an attempt to acquire Sahar Church/ School land and those of the
residents for the purposes of airport expansion which was purely for building
convention malls / golf course etc. The sustained agitation by Sahar Citizen
Forum, St John Save Church Committee , Bombay Catholic Sabha and several others
led to the abandoning of acquiring these properties.
We are asking for land since 1996 for a Cemetry on the Eastern side of the
Western suburbs which the BMC cannot provide and BMC demands land from the
Churches/ Schools as a matter of right.
BMC usually fails to plan but in this case their plans are surely going to
fail. This type of bullying won't do now. If they still insist in acquiring
the said lands or do not provide us a Cemetry in a time bound manner than the
community will have no choice but make this a political issue for the
forthcoming elections of 2014 or earlier if it happens.
Are the authorities taking us for granted?,or maybe they rely on the fact that
we are a peace loving and law abiding community and can be easily trampled
upon.
Are they really concerned about the genuine grievances of the community and are
working on solving them?
Or maybe they want a peace loving & law abiding community no option
but to vent their feelings and frustrations by a peaceful agitation.
WE CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER - ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
We appeal to the Chief Minister to step in to solve these just demands. Is the
Chief Minister listening????
Dolphy D'souza
43, Kalina, Santarcuz East, Mumbai 400 029. Cell: 09820226227. Email:
dolphyadso...@gmail.com
[The author of this article is Immd. Past President of The Bombay Catholic
Sabha and former National Vice-President of the All India Catholic Union]
We invite you to be part of this campaign by joining the facebook page:
"Peoples stand for their land- OLAC & St Joseph High School"
and also be part of the google group by sending an email to :
pdomini...@gmail.com
