SHILLONG: UDP has proposed to the state government that unauthorised occupants at Them Iew Mawlong should be removed immediately as per the provisions of the Meghalaya Public Premises Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act.
Senior UDP leader Bindo M Lanong, who participated in the meeting with the state government on Monday, said many hawkers and landless people are staying in the colony and added that genuine residents of the locality should be relocated to other places in a decent and humanitarian way.
According to Lanong, the party also proposed to the government to take up the matter about rehabilitation of those people from the colony, who by their choice, would like to be rehabilitated in Punjab with the help of the government there.
Lanong added that the government assured that after consultation with stakeholders, government has a will to relocate the colony from the main commercial area of the town.
The senior leader said as per information, most of the people who were taking shelter in Garrison ground were not from the colony.
The people who were given shelter there were hawkers and landless people who came to Shillong for livelihood, he said.
While asking the Army to verify the antecedents of the people who were given shelter in Garrison Ground, he appealed to the agitators to give some time to the state government to solve the matter.
Meanwhile, the state youth wing of the United Democratic Party, led by former MLA Paul Lyngdoh, on Monday met the chief minister expressing its anguish over the deteriorating law and order in the city.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Lyngdoh, who is the chief advisor to the wing, said there is a need to push for the removal of the residents of Them Iew Mawlong.
He added that the two categories of people, employees and non-employees, who are residing in the colony must be segregated and while employees can be given quarters, the non-employees can be disbursed.
He also urged the state government to follow up on two proposals of construction of flyover and parking lot in the area which are pending with the Centre.
According to Lyngdoh, normalcy in the town should be restored and those who were involved in the initial skirmishes should be arrested.
“If the situation is allowed to continue, people, students and daily labourers will suffer,” he said even as he expressed concern that people are moving in the city freely even with the imposition of curfew that should be upheld in letter and spirit.
When asked if he also subscribes to the view that the agitation is sponsored, he said such allegations need to be corroborated with evidence and until there is evidence, nothing can be said.
