The Meghalaya Government has called the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) for a meeting on May 7 to discuss the long pending relocation of the Harijan Colony issue, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar told Northeast Live.
This meeting is being seen by many as the final round of discussions. “It should be (the last meeting), you will know that day itself,” DCM Dhar said.
DCM Sniawbhalang Dhar, who is also in charge of the Urban Affairs department said that the government will try to complete the process of negotiation with the HPC on the proposed relocation of the Sweepers’ Colony at the earliest.
In July 2023, the Meghalaya High Court, hearing the matter of the proposed relocation of the 342 families of Harijan colony said that the issue has dragged on for ‘far too long’.
After initially rejecting the relocation blueprint, the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) in June last year had reportedly agreed, in principle, to the government’s proposal to move out of Them Iew Mawlong.
The development came to light during a hearing on the case by the High Court of Meghalaya on June 7, where Advocate-General Amit Kumar reported that the counsel for the HPC had agreed, in principle, to the blueprint prepared by the government but has made some suggestions and demanded modification of the relocation plan.
The State government has given an area of 2.14 acres within the existing building of the municipal board for their relocation. Additionally, it has included another 1.4 acres of land opposite the existing one, bringing the total to 3.6 acres.
On June 4, 2018, the state government constituted a high-level committee headed by then Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to examine all relevant records and documents relating to the relocation of residents of the colony.
On August 31, 2022, the state government had decided to relocate 342 families from Harijan Colony to the existing quarters of the Shillong Municipal Board office on Bishop Cotton Road. The department was asked to prepare a blueprint to facilitate the relocation.
Watch also: Relocation of Harijan Colony, Govt calls HPC for meeting on May 7
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