SHILLONG, Oct 19: Former Urban Affairs Minister and UDP working president, Paul Lyngdoh has said that residents of Harijan Colony were opposing the relocation move of the state government owing to ‘commercial interests’.
Speaking with The Shillong Times on Tuesday, Lyngdoh said the residents have developed commercial interest in the land at Them Iew Mawlong by setting up cafés, restaurants, electronic shops and other commercial activities and have even constructed their own houses.
“The commercial interests whether legal or illegal have led the residents to oppose the relocation move,” the senior UDP leader said.
According to him, the residents would have been more than happy to relocate to the residential quarters if there was no commercial interest involved.
The former Urban Affairs Minister also suggested that the government should not relocate everyone to the same location. “It is better to relocate them by creating zones as this will serve the purpose better. They might create problems in the future if we put them together,” Lyngdoh said.
He made it clear that it was the duty of the government to reclaim its property (land). “The HLC report has made recommendations on how to relocate the residents from Them Iew Mawlong. I don’t think there should be any problem if the government has done its homework properly,” the UDP working president said.
Lyngdoh also recalled that he had met the then Defence Minster, AK Anthony in 2006 with a request to hand over Cantonment land to the state government for construction of a flyover from Rap’s Mansion to Them Iew Mawlong to ease traffic congestion in Shillong.
According to him, the Defence authorities were willing to part with 7.5 acres of their land provided the state handed over 21 acres of land at the Water Sports Complex, Umiam.
“The 21 acres of land proposed to be handed over to the Army is equal in terms of monetary value to the 7.5 acres of land in the city,” Lyngdoh said.
“However, this proposal could not take off following opposition from then Umroi MLA, Stanlywiss Rymbai,” Lyngdoh added.
He also pointed out that he had submitted all the relevant documents relating to the 2006 proposal to the High Level Committee in 2018.
Relocation not illegal: KHADC CEM
KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Titosstarwell Chyne on Tuesday said there was nothing illegal about the decision of the state government to relocate the residents of Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong as recommended by the High Level Committee (HLC).
Pointing out that the government was aiming to take possession of the land to decongest the area and for the purpose of redevelopment, Chyne said attempts were being made to communalise the issue.
The KHADC CEM also stated that vested interests have illegally transformed the Colony into a commercial area and the presence of unwanted elements has created a fear psychosis among the public.
Recalling that it was the KHADC that had recommended the Syiem of Mylliem to hand over the land at Them Iew Mawlong to the state government, Chyne said, “It is the duty of the state government to relocate the people residing illegally in the area.”