Cremation ground at Mani Majra not to be shut down

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16

In a major relief to residents of Mani Majra and nearby areas, the Administration has decided to withdraw the order of a former Finance Secretary-cum-Chief Administrator for the closure of the Mani Majra cremation ground.

The order had evoked a strong protest from the residents as the cremation ground caters to the Mani Majra, Mauli Jagran, Panchkula and Western Command areas. The issue was highlighted in these columns on May 8. Sources said the former Chief Administrator, while rejecting the resolution of the General House of the Municipal Corporation passed in 2016 for the “regularisation of the cremation ground”, asked the MC to review the decision and denotify the same.

The House had sent the resolution to the Administration stating that the MC land being used as the cremation ground be regularised and had approved further extension of land for the storage of wood. It was also recommended that the drawings of the cremation ground be obtained from the Department of Urban Planning of the Administration. However, the Chief Administrator, citing the Master Plan-2031, stated that the existing cremation ground in Mani Majra fell on the Chandigarh-Kalka road, was highly urbanised and needed to be discontinued. It was also recommended that the area be developed as a green belt.

Sources said the decision to withdraw the order was taken after approval from Punjab Governor-cum-UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore. The Administration is of the view that the decision to close the cremation ground without providing an alternative arrangement will cause problems to the residents.