HPC accepts Govt’s blueprint for relocation of Sweepers’ Colony

Mar 27, 2023

Shillong, June 7: The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) has accepted the blueprint prepared by the state government on the proposal to relocate the 342 families of Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong to the existing land of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).

In its order after hearing the matter, the division bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said, "Learned Advocate-General reports that Counsel for 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."

"Since the State is looking at the suggestions for modification, let the matter come up three weeks hence. It is hoped that the parties will now resolve the long pending issue and give a quietus to these matters," the bench stated.

The next hearing on the matter will be held on July 3, 2023.

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 the 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.

Earlier, the HPC had rejected the blueprint of the government.

In its recent 6-page reply sent to the Deputy Secretary of the Government of Meghalaya and other concerned departments, the HPC had alleged that the proposal of the government was "incomplete, unsuitable, unprepared, unfair and undemocratic." The HPC had also stated in its reply that "There are serious lacunae, sweeping and undesirable conclusions in the approach and attitude of the High-Level Committee of the Meghalaya government."

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