Villages sans graveyards trouble people

Kurnool: Around 60 per cent of burial grounds allocated to the villages in the district have been forcibly occupied by the residents and at some villages land was not allocated. Due to lack of burial grounds, people are forced to bury the dead bodies in patta lands.

Here too, the villagers are facing lots of problems from the land owners. They are opposing to bury the dead bodies in their lands. This problem is severe in Banaganapalle Assembly constituency.

The government has allocated 3 acres of land to the Vallampadu villagers belonging to SC community for burial ground. But some residents of the same village have occupied the burial ground land and cultivating paddy. With this, the community people are facing lots of problems to bury the bodies.

Kathi Obulapathi of Vallampadu village, speaking to The Hans India, says that the government has allocated 3 acres of land to burial ground for the community. But some people have occupied the land and are cultivating paddy. When asked about the encroachment, the occupants maintain that the land is theirs and they have pattadar pass books.

`We have lodged complaints with the Revenue department officials and also at grievance cell in Collectorate. Despite many representations, we did not find any solution. Due to lack of burial ground we are facing problems to bury the dead bodies,’ he said and urged the government to allocate some other land. Or the officials have to take steps to remove the occupants, he said.

Another resident, Adi Narayana said that we have brought to the notice of the local leaders about the issue several times. The occupants have raised Bengal gram in the burial ground.

Apart from Vallampadu village, Sadukottam, Chinna Raju Palem, Kolimigundla, Cherlopalli, Konapuram and Gulladurthy villages also do not have burial grounds. Around 75 cents of land was allocated to the villagers of Gulladurthy. Out of the allocated extent, 55 cents have been occupied and only 20 cents land was left for the burial ground.

The villagers of Sadukottam don’t have burial ground and they are burying the dead bodies in patta lands. Though there is burial ground at Kolimigundla the villagers don’t have proper approach road. The residents of Cherlopalle are facing hardships to bury the dead bodies as the allocated land is very hard to dig. The government has allocated 2.5 acres of land for the burial ground near a hilly area.

By Narendra Kumar