SHILLONG:
The state government will soon convene a meeting with the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) to further discuss the proposed relocation of families from the Harijan Colony.
The move comes after the HPC had recently decided to agree and seek modification of the government’s blueprint for their relocation.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar said that the HPC had already met the government to discuss the matter after they had agreed to the blueprint.
“They (HPC) have conveyed to us what they want. They are expressing concern that the area and size of the rooms are too small,” he said.
When asked, Dhar said, “We will soon sit again with them to further discuss the matter.”
On July 3, the Meghalaya High Court had asked the state government to submit a progress report on the matter and said, “It is hoped that the government takes immediate appropriate action and brings the matter to a close as expeditiously as possible.”
The court had also slammed the HPC for “playing fast and loose” with the government and the court.
“It appears that the respondents are playing fast and loose both with the government and with the Court. A false impression was given on the last occasion that a minor matter had to be attended to but a subsequent statement was made that the Court had misinterpreted the submission,” it had said.
The government in its blueprint had proposed to relocate the 342 families of Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong to the existing land of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB). It had also maintained that if the modification sought by the HPC was not feasible then the government will not agree.
The government had earlier rejected the April 25, 2022 proposal of the HPC 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.