Locals up against cemetery

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The attempt by St Sebastian's Chapel in Edayakunnam in Cheranellore panchayat to set up a cemetery in reclaimed land adjacent to a colony for Scheduled Castes/Tribes is being strongly opposed by the colony's residents and other locals.

Police teams from the North and Cheranellore stations and the Special Branch visited the site after posters came up in different parts of the panchayat protesting the chapel's intention to establish the cemetery.

The foundation stone of the cemetery was supposed to be laid on Friday, but was put off. The police held discussions with the protestors and are keeping a watch on the situation since the issue is taking on communal overtones.

The protestors have now petitioned the district collector to intervene. They allege that a private hospital in the city has teamed up with the vicar of St Sebastian's Chapel, a branch of St. James Church in Cheranellore, to reclaim seven or eight acres of Pokkali paddy field at Edayakkunnam. The decision to set up the cemetery is the first one to test the waters.

They said that the St James Church has its own cemetery at Cheranellore and there was no need to add another cemetery to its chapel branch.

According to locals, the private hospital has been trying to reclaim the pokkali paddy field under its custody for the past seven years, but strong protests from the locals have prevented it from doing so.