By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 25: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has expressed concern over the “illegal settlement” of 100 families near the Bara Bazar Fire and Emergency Station at Lum Survey under Shillong Cantonment Board.
HYC president Roy Kumar Synrem told reporters on Thursday that they inspected the area under the Shillong Cantonment and found all the families residing there are outsiders, most of them without an EPIC issued in Meghalaya.
He said there are reports that some of these settlers are Rohingya Muslims who migrated from another country. “We cannot expect a slum in this area. They have not been able to show permission to settle in this place from any authority,” he added.
Synrem said the place has been turned into a small illegal colony.
“Surprisingly, the Shillong Cantonment Board (SCB) is not taking any action against these people settled within its jurisdiction while it does not hesitate to demolish any structure it does not approve of,” he said, adding that the HYC received complaints from people that they are drug peddlers operating on the roadside after dark.
“We fear that this area would be transformed into a den of criminal and illegal activities,” he said.
He said an HYC team would meet the SCB officials soon to vacate the area.
Synrem also said he was surprised when some of the families claimed they had been living in the area for many years.
He asked the government why it has not noticed these illegal settlers.
