SHILLONG:
The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has questioned the government’s indulgence to a “third party” in the matter of relocation of 342 families of Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
Party chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said he was surprised that the government was negotiating with a third party in the matter.
“I am surprised why the government is allowing a third party to come in between and interfere in this matter,” Basaiawmoit said.
Pointing out that the settlers were employees of the government, the Nongkrem legislator said the government should deal with them instead of a third party and resolve the issue expeditiously while removing the illegal settlers.
He said that the government had made proper arrangement for their relocation and the employees have no reason to refuse it.
The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC), with which the government is negotiating, recently rejected the government’s proposal to relocate the 342 families to the existing land of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).
The HPC in its 6-page reply on this had alleged that the proposal of the government was incomplete, unsuitable, unprepared, unfair and undemocratic and said “There are serious lacunae, sweeping and undesirable conclusions in the approach and attitude of the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government.”
Prior to coming up with the blueprint on its proposal, the state government had rejected the HPC’s demand 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.
“Why should the government negotiate when they are its employees. The government has decided to relocate them so as employees of the government, they cannot say that they don’t want to shift and most of the settlers are illegal settlers,” Basaiawmoit said.
He also asserted that it was high time for the government to start fixing responsibility on those who allowed the residents to continue to reside on that plot of land.
On the other hand, the VPP chief said that the government was going soft on the issue, probably because many political leaders have exploited that place for their vote bank politics.
He, however, demanded that the government should take a final call to immediately relocate all residents and said, “The government should not give any excuses this time… The government has done its best so why should it listen to those who do not want to shift, the government should use force if required.”
Whether his party welcomes the government’s blueprint, Basaiawmoit said, “We don’t say that we approve of the blueprint hundred per cent but we welcome the government’s initiative to relocate them because the government is not just leaving them on the streets but has made proper arrangement for their relocation. So the government should take care of the people who are employees and if decision has been taken that they should be relocated, then they should accordingly adhere to it.”
Meanwhile, the state government has filed an affidavit before the Meghalaya High Court, which will hear the matter on June 7.