Denied use of cremation ground, Palampur villagers lodge complaint

Our Correspondent

Palampur, August 21

Residents of Bharmat village, 5km from here, called on local SDM Pankaj Sharma on Wednesday and lodged a complaint that the lower-caste residents of the village were not being allowed to use the cremation ground by the upper-caste population. It had become difficult for them to cremate their dead.

Villagers said the practice was going on for the past many years and they had to take the bodies for cremation either to Palampur or Banuri, as they were not allowed to use the village ground. They said the matter was brought to the notice of the panchayat but nothing was done.

The SDM told the villagers that it was a serious matter and no one could stop them from using the cremation ground as it did not belong to a particularly community or class. It was a public place and was situated on government land. Such action of a few villagers warranted criminal proceedings against them, he said.

Sharma directed the Block Development Officer (BDO), Panchrukhi, to visit the village along with local panchayat representatives and settle the issue. He asked the BDO to declare the cremation ground a public place by installing a board stating the same at the spot.

In case the issue was not settled, a case would be registered against the accused residents, the SDM added.