‘Govt buying time with talks’

SHILLONG, March 17: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) East Khasi Hills on Friday asked the state government to immediately take a decision for relocating the residents of Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
“It has been nearly five years since the state government constituted the High-Level Committee (HLC) to examine the relocation of the Harijan Colony but the government has not been able to find a permanent solution to this problem,” HNYF East Khasi Hills president, Bless Dkhar told reporters.
He alleged that the state government continued with the negotiations with the Harijan Panchayat Committee for the sake of buying time.
“I fail to understand why the government is entertaining the people who are illegally settling at Them Iew Mawlong. We are against the government’s move to rehabilitate the illegal settlers,” Dkhar said.
According to him, there is no justification that the government should provide the 342 families with land at the European Ward. He said the government’s responsibility was to provide accommodation only to those working in various departments.
“These employees should go back to where they belong once they retire. It is not the duty of the government to provide permanent accommodation to the employees,” Dkhar said.
Meanwhile, he demanded that the road leading to Harijan Colony should be re-opened immediately.
“Why does the government need to continue to close this road? It is shocking that the government continues to provide security to the people residing in Harijan Colony,” the HNYF East Khasi Hills president said.
He asked as to why the government is not providing security to its own people residing along the state’s border with Assam.
On Rs 2 crore reportedly received by the Hima Mylliem, Dkhar said they were told the Hima Mylliem is planning to construct its office at Mawpat with the funds received from the state government. He said the Hima Mylliem earns revenue of several crores of rupees by way of collecting taxes from the various markets.
“The tenders to collect revenue are allotted only to the close aides of MDCs and EMs because the Hima Mylliem is an ATM of the district council,” Dkhar said.