Issue of relocating Harijan Colony has not reached a dead end: Meghalaya DY CM Prestone Tynsong

Tynsong reiterated that the Harijan Colony residents must go through the options made by the govt, discuss and come back again for talks.

The issue of relocating the Harijan Colony from Shillong has not reached a dead end. This is what Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has clearly conveyed. Briefing newspersons, Tynsong said that the MDA government has submitted before the court all the details stating that it is not the question of throwing them out and that alternative option was already given to the Harijan colony residents.

Tynsong said, “It is upto them, because we have already provided the option.” The Meghalaya deputy Chief Minister reiterated that the Harijan Colony residents must go through the options made by the government, discuss and come back again for talks with the government. However, Prestone Tynsong said that the Harijan Colony residents are not ready as of yet, and seems to be holding deliberations among themselves for arriving at a conclusion.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya high court in October this year had asked the residents of Harijan Colony (Punjabi Lane) in Shillong to respond to the relocation plans put forth by the state government. The High court had given a 4-week time to the residents of Harijan Colony (Punjabi Lane) in Shillong to respond to the relocation plans.

The direction was passed by a division bench of the Meghalaya high court while hearing the matter.
It may be mentioned, that 4 years after constituting the High-Level Committee, the state government had finally decided last year to relocate 342 families from Harijan Colony to the existing quarters of the Shillong Municipal Board office on Bishop Cotton Road.

Earlier in April this year, the state government had directed the Urban Affairs department and Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to identify land for relocation of the Harijans’ Colony residents from Them Iew Mawlong.

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