SHILLONG:Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the ongoing process to resolve the issue over relocation of Harijan Colony involved meticulous documentation.
Speaking to reporters on the side line of a programme here on Tuesday, he said the High Level Committee (HLC) should be allowed to ensure that the documentation is done meticulously.
“The documentations by the committee should be done meticulously. I am of the view that the committee should not be pushed right now. But yes the committee should try to complete the exercise in a speedy manner but not in a hasty manner. I think proper home work is needed in this whole exercise,” he said adding that the meticulous paper work undertaken in the present would help facing any untoward challenges in the future.
Asked about the non-cooperation of the people from Harijan Colony and their opposition to relocation, he said inventorisation was continuing and it was premature to comment anything on the matter.
“We will wait for the report of the committee before taking a final call on the way forward,” he said.
Sangma asserted that the previous governments shy away from tackling the long pending Harijan Colony issue since it was a complicated one.
“If you look at the history of this case, none of the state Governments really took this up as we have done. The Government in the past were shying away since this issue is very complicated,” he said.
With Harijan Colony people asking for land documents from the state government, Sangma said, “There are many claims, requests that are coming and as a government it is our duty to listen to everybody and give them the time to express their concerns and give their point of view. High Level Committee (HLC) will look into all these aspects. It is also duty of the committee to listen to all stakeholders.”
On his meeting with the members of Gurudwara Committee and other committees of Sikh population, he said that Sikh community had expressed their concern over of security aspect of the Sikh population who are staying in the state.
He informed that he had assured the Sikh community that the primary responsibility of the government was to protect its citizens.
Sangma, however categorically stated that the security aspect should not be mixed with the overall issue of Harijan Colony.