By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 26: The Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) has sought more time from the state government to take a final decision on the proposal of relocation of the settlers of the colony from Them Iew Mawlong.
The development comes 16 days after a meeting between the two parties where Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar asked the HPC to convey its final decision within two weeks.
In a formal communiqué on Monday, the HPC emphasised that the short period of 15 days is insufficient for them to consult with the highest authorities of the Sikh community.
“We intend to seek the counsel of the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in Amritsar, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and other senior community organisations and leaders. Their guidance is crucial,” HPC secretary Gurjit Singh said in the communiqué.
He said that given the current engagements and prior commitments of the Sikh religious leadership, they have indicated that they will not be available for consultations for the next two to three weeks. The letter suggested that in light of these circumstances, the HPC requested that the next meeting on this issue be scheduled around the last week of September.
The Committee is hopeful that by that time, they will be able to present a well-considered response that reflects the consensus of the broader community.
The HPC had earlier accepted the proposal and blueprint for the relocation of the Harijan Colony families to the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) quarters on Bishop Cotton Road.
Harijan Colony or Punjabi Line is inhabited by people from Punjab who were brought to Shillong about 200 years ago by the British to work as sweepers and manual scavengers.
The demand for their relocation gained momentum in 2018 following violence in the city which led to the imposition of curfew for almost two months. Police personnel guard the locality to this day.