SHILLONG:
The State government has sought four weeks’ time to look into the request for additional space by the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC).
The matter was taken up for hearing by the Meghalaya High Court on August 30. The court had expressed dismay over the delay in resolving the issue pertaining to the proposed relocation of the 342 families of Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
“This matter has still not been resolved despite negotiations between the State and the respondents,” the division bench said in its order passed after hearing petitions filed by the State and the HPC.
“The Advocate-General submits that the State is contemplating a request by the respondents to provide some additional space. For such purpose, the State requests an adjournment of the matter for four weeks,” it said.
The next hearing on the matter will be held on September 29.
In its earlier orders, the court had also stated that the issue has dragged on for far too long.
On June 7, the court in its order had informed the Advocate-General that the Harijan Panchayat Committee has agreed, in principle, to the blueprint prepared by the government but has made some suggestions for modification in certain areas
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar had maintained that the government is ready to discuss with the HPC on their request for modification of the blueprint, which seeks to relocate the 342 families to the existing land of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).
He, however, had said the government will not agree to modifications if it is not feasible.
The government had come up with a blueprint after rejecting the April 25, 2022 proposal of the HPC that 200 square meters of land be provided to each of the 342 families within European ward besides bearing the cost of construction of their homes.
On August 31, 2022, the state government had announced its decision to construct housing flats at the 2.5 acres of land belonging to the SMB for relocation of the 342 families.
“Now we will demolish the old units and accordingly construct a flat system of 5 or 7 stories as per Meghalaya Development Urban Authority (MUDA) byelaws,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had then informed.