SHILLONG:
North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum has given the government 15 days to relocate the settlers of Harijan Colony and remove the barricade from the location while the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) said if negotiations failed they should be evicted.
Speaking to reporters, Nongrum said on April 26, “Enough is enough, the government should take the matter seriously within 15 days as we need to see action on the ground. If there is no change within the 15 days to shift and remove the barricades, it will force me to take a step which I will decide and announce later.”
Harijan Colony falls under the North Shillong constituency.
The MLA said the state government should go ahead with the relocation plan immediately as they are employees of the government.
He said that if the government is serious, the employees should be sent to their respective government quarters, be it the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), various secretariat departments or others.
As for illegal settlers, Nongrum said that the government should start identification as soon as possible.
He said, “This area falls under my jurisdiction and as an MLA I will follow up tirelessly. I do not have any ill-feeling towards them. It is a matter of shame as the state government has not been able to resolve it. The government does not want to include me in the High Level Committee (HLC) as I know the ins and outs of the government. Why is the government delaying this and why is the HPC flexing its muscles at the government?”
According to him, traffic in Shillong has also been affected as cars are not allowed to ply through the lane and the place has been barricaded for the past five years.
He said that the demand for relocation was made following multiple incidents occurring in the area as well as the concerns regarding the health and hygiene of settlers there.