Harijan Panchayat Committee’s demand too high: M’laya DCM Sniawbhalang Dhar

Rejecting the government’s proposal, the HPC has demanded a 200 square metre plot of land for each family besides Rs 20 lakh per unit

By Francis Marbaniang

Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in Charge of the Urban Affairs Department, Sniawbhalang Dhar, said on Thursday that the Meghalaya government remains committed to relocating the 342 families of the Harijans from Thewïewmawlong, Ïewduh but the demands of the Harijan people are too farfetched.

“It is not possible as their demands are too high,” Dhar adding that the State Government has filed an affidavit in the Meghalaya High Court.

“We have filed an affidavit that the Harijan community did not accept the proposal of the government. We informed the Court like that only,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

The Deputy CM in charge of Home who is also the Chairman of the High-Level Committee (HLC), Prestone Tyngsong is out of the station. Therefore, the government will take a call on the matter next week, informed Dy CM Sniawbhalang.

Rejecting the government proposal, the HPC has demanded a 200 square metre plot of land for each family besides Rs 20 lakh per unit.

Earlier, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the government is determined in its stand on the relocation of the Harijan colony and has referred the current status of the issue to a legal expert to study the matter.

The Meghalaya Government decided to relocate 42 families residing along the Harijan Colony also called Punjabi Lane and Them Iew Mawlong.

The decision of the government came based on a report from a committee formed in 2018 to look into the demand of Khasi outfits to relocate Sikhs after violence in the area.

On September 29, 2022, the Meghalaya government made a presentation of the blueprint indicating the detailed drawings and designs of the proposed buildings to be constructed for accommodating the 342 families of Harijan Colony. The presentation was also made before the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC).

The government had also decided to hand over the blueprint for the construction of multi-story flats at the existing official quarters of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to the HPC.
On October 21, the Meghalaya High Court asked the HPC to respond to the proposal of the state government within four weeks.

Also Read: Govt referred Harijan colony issue to legal expert: Meghalaya Dy CM

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