Christians in problem over burial ground near airport

 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 12: The move to resume air service from Cooch Behar Airport brought some problems for the Christian community in Cooch Behar.

 

On 8 August 1885, the then ruler of Cooch Behar State, Maharaja Nripendra Narayan approved a plot of land adjacent to Cooch Behar Airport to use as burial ground for the Christian employees of his kingdom to bury the dead-bodies. The ground was under the possession of British Council during the British period. In 1898 the Swedish Mission was formed at Cooch Behar, which was later renamed as Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church (NELC). After Independence of India the Indian Christians took over the possession of the NEL Church in Cooch Behar, according to Reverend James Prashata Paul. Rev Paul is the in-charge of Cooch Behar NELC.

 

Cooch Behar Airport started functioning in 1942. The burial ground was also open for burying of dead bodies of Christians without any restriction. When renovation of the airport started in 1995 the Cooch Behar Airport authority constructed a boundary wall with an iron gate and a separate entrance for using the burial ground by informing the Cooch Behar NELC authority. The NELC was promised of getting the gate opened as and when required for cleaning of the premises and burying of dead-bodies and also for lighting the ground with candles during Good Friday, Rev Paul said.

 

Secretary of NELC Burial Ground Committee, Mr Tridip Paul said since starting of the renovation of the airport in 1995 two dead-bodies have been buried there without any problem by informing the local airport authority. About 300 bodies of Christians were buried in the burial ground since its establishment. It is a holy, historical and memorable place for the Christian community of Cooch Behar, Mr Paul said.

 

President of the NELC-BG Committee, Rev Sujit Adhikary alleged that since 15 August of this year the airport authorities kept the burial ground under lock and key. It is now a problem to use the burial ground if needed for according to the custom of Christianity, he said.

 

The district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said, the existing entrance was closed for security reasons. An alternative approach road and a bridge over the Mara-Torsa may be constructed for exclusive use of the members of Christian community for going to the burial ground. It will be a better alternative because during any emergent situation at the airport the roads towards the airport may be closed down. In that time the Christians will have to face no problem to go to the burial ground through the proposed new way.

 

Mr Paul said it would be a problem for them to enter the burial ground with a body by crossing about 5-kilomere from the NEL Church compound after funeral service through Chakchaka. It is hard for a poor man to afford the expenses. The DM, Mr Sinha however denied that it would be difficult for anyone to go the burial ground by crossing an additional 3-kilometre. If they come with a body from Tufanganj what will happen, the DM questioned. He opined that a separate road would be the better alternative to accept.

 

The NELC Burial Ground Committee is not ready to accept the proposal. They are demanding use of the entrance as they were using since 1885. They also proposed that they be permitted to enter the burial ground barring the time of landing and take-off of any aircraft. A separate boundary wall and a separate way may be constructed for the purpose, they argued. They conveyed the matter to the Airport Authority of India and the Union civil aviation minister too. []

 

Ganja seized

 

COOCH BEHAR, Sept. 12: Police seized 30-kilogram dry ganja and arrested one person from Sitai Morh in Cooch Behar today. The arrested man was coming towards Cooch Behar via Mathabhanga from Sitalkuchi by bus. Acting on a tip-off police arrested him from Sitai Morh area. []