SHILLONG, Jan 14: A day after Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong informed that instructions have been given to the Urban Affairs Department to immediately shift the government employees staying at the Harijan Colony at Them Iew Mawlong, the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) has advised the state government to wait for the High Court’s order on the matter.
Secretary of the HPC, Gurjit Singh on Friday said that the matter is pending before the High Court and the court has asked status quo to be maintained.
“How can the government order for shifting the employees staying at the Harijan Colony. This is wrong, the government should wait for the High Court’s order into the matter,” Singh said.
It may be mentioned that the state government has already taken over possession of the land at Them Iew Mawlong after it was handed over by the Syiem of Mylliem.
Earlier, a senior official had informed that the relocation of the staff of Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) from the Harijan Colony will begin after the civic body shifts its office temporarily to Lumpyngngad cottage near the Chief Secretary’s official residence at Bishop Cotton Road, followed by the renovation of the staff quarters at the present temporary office. It is said that the state government will allot quarters to 128 employees.
The issue spiraled out in 2018 after an altercation at Iew Mawlong turned into a violent unrest which paralysed life in the city for weeks.
Even today, the colony is guarded by security personnel three and half years after the incident.
The state government had earlier taken over the land at Them Iew Mawlong, measuring about 12,444.13 square metres, after executing a tripartite lease deed whereby it paid a premium of Rs 2 crore to the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.
The lease deed was signed between the government, the Syiem of Mylliem and the SMB after the state Cabinet had accepted the recommendations of the Tynsong-headed High-Level Committee.