Meghalaya: Harijan Committee yet to reply to government over relocation of 342 families, says Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar

The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) is yet to submit its reply to the government’s blueprint for relocating the 342 families of Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong in Shillong, said Meghalaya Urban Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar. 

Speaking to reporters here on April 19, Dhar said, “As of now we have not received any reply from them (HPC) and we are yet to sit maybe in the days to come because Deputy CM Prestone is out of the station. So, maybe next week we will call for the meeting”. 

Dhar also informed that since the government has not received any letters of reply from the HPC, the government will go ahead with the proposal. 

Notably, in September last year, the state government presented the blueprint to the HPC during a meeting, which indicated its decision to construct multi-story flats at the existing official quarters of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) for relocation of the 342 families. 

However, the HPC side has demanded 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 ỉn which the State government has rightly rejected. 

This year on March 16, the Meghalaya government had set a deadline for the HPC for submitting its reply by April 10.

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