The State government is contemplating to provide some additional space at the plot of Shillong Municipal Board in Bivar Road here where the residents of Sweepers’ Colony will be relocated.
This was informed by Advocate-General Amit Kumar before the division bench of the Meghalaya High Court during hearing of the matter related to shifting of the residents from Them Iew Mawlong.
Kumar said that the Harijan Panchayat Committee had made a request for some additional space at the plot of Shillong Municipal Board where the residents will be accommodated.
He also said that the State government is contemplating to consider the request for additional space at the site.
Kumar also requested the High Court to adjourn the matter for four weeks so as to enable the State government to resolve the matter.
The High Court which agreed to the plea for adjournment has listed the matter for hearing on September 29.
It may be mentioned that the State government had come up with a blueprint to accommodate all the 342 families of the Sweepers’ Colony in dwelling units that will be created in place of the existing SMB quarters.
The Urban Affairs Department, in its blueprint, proposed the construction of 30-40 flats in 12 blocks on a 2.5-acre plot of land at the Shillong Municipal Board’s complex at Bivar Road here.
Earlier, the government had rejected the proposal by Harijan Panchayat Committee on April 25, 2022 that 200 square meters of land be provided to each of the 342 families within the European Ward besides bearing the cost of construction of their homes.
In October 2021, the State government took possession of the land measuring 12,444.13 square metres at Sweepers’ Colony after paying Rs 2 crore to the Hima Mylliem as a one-time payment.
This comes after signing of a tripartite lease deed between the government of Meghalaya, the Syiem of Hima Mylliem and Shillong Municipal Board on March 31, 2021.
The State government said that beautification of the area will be done once the residents of the colony are shifted to a new site.
