SHILLONG, April 13: The meeting between the Government and delegates of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) today could not arrive at a final decision on the relocation of residents from Them Ïew Mawlong. The meeting was held following the directive of the High Court of Meghalaya to resolve the matter at the earliest.
Speaking with media persons, the Deputy Chief Minister,Prestone Tynsong who is also the Chairman of the High Level Committee for the relocation of residents from Them Ïew Mawlong said that the meeting was successful and also informed that he had clearly stated to the HPC that it is necessary to relocate the residents from the location as recommended by the High Level Committee.
He said that the Government has identified a few locations, and the delegate of the HPC will inform the residents of the decision and another meeting will be held again on the 25th of this month, and probably after the meeting on that day, the final decision can be made known, and the Government at present awaits the report from the Shillong Municipal Board and the Urban Affairs Department, and after that, they will know at which location they will be relocated.
Responding to a query Tynsong said that there are upto 342 households in the area, and out of these households all had been employees in different departments of the Government at one point of time although the ones presently employed in departments of the Government are no longer there, but the ones earlier to them had been employed in the departments of the Government.
The Chairman of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC), Gurjeet Singh said that the decision is to be taken by the public, whether they agree or disagree to the relocation as directed by the Government because the talk today held with the HPC will be made heard first and discussed with the residents of the area.
He said that as per the discussion, the Government agreed to relocate 342 households to the property of the Government in the European Ward.
