Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday ordered the construction of a crematorium for the Khasi indigenous faith at Mylliem, 15km from here, to allow its members to perform the last rites of deceased members.

The Seng Khasi Mylliem had approached the court stating residents belonging to Niam Khasi (indigenous religious faith) were facing great difficulty in cremating their dead because there was no cremation ground in the area. Mylliem is in East Khasi Hills.

In his judgment, passed in relation to a petition filed by the Seng Khasi Mylliem against four individuals, Justice S.R. Sen said: "If the blood of a Khasi, Bengali and Nepali or any other person is mixed together, no science has established any methodology to distinguish the blood whether it belongs to a Khasi, a Bengali or a Nepali and it is an undisputed fact that the blood of all human beings is red, no matter what faith, caste or religion he or she belongs to, so why so much difference?"

The Durbar of Ki Bakhraw na U San Kur Khatwei Kurka Raid Mylliem (durbar of the elders/nobles of 5 and 11 clans of Mylliem area) allotted a plot of land at Iew Mylliem Rim in 2010 for construction of a crematorium, nearly 2km from the residential area.

The followers of Niam Khasi faith had started mobilising their meagre resources to start construction and it was decided that the foundation stone would be laid on September 24, 2016. However, the respondents to the case mobilised people to oppose the construction and even desecrated items prepared for the rituals, smashed the plaque and destroyed the foundation stone, the petition alleged.

The East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner had submitted a report on allotment of land to the Seng Khasi Mylliem according to which the Seng Khasi Mylliem and the village council ( dorbar shnong) of Mylliem agreed to utilise the space at Iew Mylliem Rim for cremation.

"The matter has been settled amicably and the parties are happy. However, I totally disagree that the crematorium as proposed in Mylliem village shall be used for cremation of only the deceased members of the Seng Khasi Mylliem. It is directed that anybody belonging to the indigenous faith and from any locality who needs to use the crematorium, can use it," Justice Sen said.

The deputy commissioner was asked to demarcate the proposed area, fence it and take steps to make it functional in five months. The judge imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the four respondents as they have "disrespected the Constitution". The money has to be deposited in the account of the social welfare director and used for the benefit of juvenile inmates.