The State government has said that it has decided to change its original blueprint regarding the site for relocation of residents of Sweeper Colony at Them Ïew Mawlong here.
During hearing of a writ appeal filed by the Harijan Panchayat Committee in the Meghalaya High Court today, the State government said the original blueprint has undergone a change “at the suggestion of interested persons”.
The State government also told the court that the details on the changed blueprint are being worked out.
Following the submission by the State government, the High Court decided to list the matter for hearing on September 16.
The State government had earlier prepared a blueprint for allotment of three acres of land near the TB Hospital at Upper Mawprem here for construction of multi-storied housing flats to accommodate people from Sweeper Colony.
However, the proposal has attracted strong objections from many quarters who said that shifting of the Sweeper Colony residents to the area was not feasible as the area is already congested.
It may be mentioned that on April 25, leaders of the HPC met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to discuss the relocation of people staying at Sweeper Colony.
During the discussion, the HPC has agreed to the relocation from the colony provided the government gives ten acres of land in the European Ward so that each of the 342 families will get 200 square metres and also bears the expenditure for the construction of their houses.
The State government assured the HPC that it would prepare a blueprint for identifying land for the 342 families residing in the Sweeper Colony. The Urban Affairs Department has been entrusted with the task to prepare the blueprint.
In October 2021, the State government took possession of the land at Sweeper 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 (SMB) 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.
