BARIPADA: Villagers of Bangiriposi panchayat in Mayurbhanj are a harrowed lot, with a lack of a cremation ground forcing them to put their loved ones to rest in the open. Despite repeated demands for cremation land, authorities have turned a blind eye to their plight.
This has resulted in bodies being consigned to flames in an abandoned place near Manda village close to NH-49 in plain view of commuters besides smoke emanating from the pyres causing further inconvenience to those living on the periphery.
“Although a building was constructed to act as a resting shed, no crematorium or protection walls around the place have come up till date,” said Sanjay Agarwalla of Bangiriposi. The Panchayati Raj department provides funds for construction of crematoriums and resting houses but poor allocation and inaction of panchayat representatives have led to the sorry state of affairs.
An all-party meeting held five months ago saw a petition being given to the BDO and tehsildar in the matter but nothing has been done. BDO of Bangiriposi Ramdas Tudu said that he has received the petition and action will be taken soon.