The State government and the Harijan Panchayat Committee are trying to negotiate an amicable settlement regarding the move by the government to shift the residents of the Sweepers Colony at Them Ïew Mawlong to the site of the Shillong Municipal Board at Bivar Road here.
During a hearing on the matter today, the Meghalaya High Court asked the Harijan Panchayat Committee to be more reasonable in their negotiations with the State government regarding the relocation plan.
The division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh also expressed dissatisfaction that the matter was dragged on for far too long.
Meanwhile, the High Court adjourned the matter till August 30, while expressing hope that the negotiations between the State government and the Harijan Panchayat Committee will be fruitful by the next hearing.
“Since the State and the respondents are still trying to negotiate an amicable settlement; the court’s interference is not warranted. However, it has been repeated on several occasions that the matter has dragged on for far too long. The matter will appear six weeks hence in the hope that a solution is reached by then,” the High Court said in its order.
Earlier during the hearing, Chief Justice Banerjee while addressing advocate Ritesh Khatri who appeared for the Harijan Panchayat Committee orally remarked, “This is not a legal issue. You cannot, you know, open your mouth too wide to say that you be resettled on the top of Mount Everest.”
It may be mentioned that the State government is preparing to relocate around 342 families from Sweepers Colony to the Shillong Municipal Board’s premises at Bivar Road. The government has also prepared a blueprint regarding the construction of flats for accommodating the families.
According to the blueprint, it was proposed to construct 30-40 flats in 12 blocks on an alternate 2.5-acre plot of land at the site.
