Meghalaya government is hopeful of finding a solution to the long pending issues surrounding the relocation of the Sweepers Lane from the heart of Shillong city. Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed that the government will be holding talks with the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) after the Puja celebrations.
Dhar said, “In very short time we are going to solve it. We are yet to call them for another round of meeting. There is no fresh demand, but they have requested us, it is not a demand, that the size of the plot is too small, and if the government can increase the size of the plot allotted to each of the families. But we are yet to again discuss with them. We will call them for another round of meeting and we will try to resolve it.“
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar who is also the Meghalaya Urban Affairs Minister is also hopeful of a positive outcome once the talks begin again.
He said, “We will call them (HPC) may be after Puja and try to solve it at the earliest possible. We are under the process of negotiation, hopefully positive things will happen. It is a strong message for us that positive things will happen.“
On September 29, 2020, the Meghalaya government had informed the HPC about its intent to build multi-story apartments within the Shillong Municipal Board’s (SMB) current office complex in order to relocate the families.
In reply to this, the HPC in April 2022 demanded that each family in the European ward receive 200 square metres of land in addition to paying for the construction of their homes. However, this was rejected by the government.
If the relocation happens, 342 families of Sweepers’ Colony will be shifted from Them Iew Mawlong.
But after initially rejecting the relocation blueprint, the HPC in June this year had agreed, in principle, to the government’s proposal to move out of Them Iew Mawlong.
Earlier in March this year, the Meghalaya High Court had ordered the state government to address the matter of relocating the people of Harijan Colony from Them Lew Mawlong. During the hearing, the court directed the state to file a report indicating the progress made with reference to the relocation process when the matter is taken up for hearing on November 8.
Read also: Harijan Panchayat Committee’s demand too high: M’laya DCM Sniawbhalang Dhar
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