The State government has decided to inform the Meghalaya High Court about the steps it has taken for relocation of the residents of Sweepers Colony at Them Iew Mawlong to a new site at the Shillong Municipal Board complex at Bivar Road.
It may be mentioned that the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) had yesterday rejected the relocation proposal of the government terming the same as “incomplete, unsuitable, unprepared, unfair and undemocratic”.
Speaking to media persons here today, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the State government would submit all details to the court in the form of an affidavit since the move for relocation was taken as per directions from the court.
According to Tynsong, the letter from the HPC rejecting the relocation proposal also indicated that they are not willing to sit across the table and discuss the matter.
“Since the direction for relocation had come from the court, we will file the affidavit before the court,” he said.
On the allegations by HPC that its eight-point demand has not been fulfilled by the government, Tynsong said that it is not possible for the government to meet every demand.
It may be mentioned that HPC is demanding 200 square metre plot for each family besides an amount of Rs 20 lakh for each unit
“How can we consider such demands? From day one I had told them that we will have a blueprint acceptable to both the parties,” Tynsong said.
He also said that it is not easy to get land today but the HPC were given a good location in the European Ward.
“I have nothing to say from the government side. We will file the affidavit in the court,” Tynsong said, adding, “If they want to fight, let them fight in the court.”
Earlier, the HPC maintained that there are serious lacunae, sweeping and undesirable conclusions in the approach and attitude of the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government on the relocation matter.
It also alleged that the “entire exercise is an ill-founded relocation theory, which actually compels the resident citizens of Punjabi Lane to forgo their rights, title, and interest over whatever small land portion in the colony and to accept the prison cells-like accommodation being offered” in the proposed blueprint.
