SHILLONG, Nov 3: More security and traffic personnel will be deployed in the Mawlonghat area following the state government’s decision to reopen the road connecting Mawlonghat to the Bimola Junction from Monday.
Six years after an altercation led to prolonged unrest in Harijan Colony near Iewduh, the East Khasi Hills district administration on October 30 issued the order to reopen Punjabi Lane or the road passing through the colony for vehicular traffic.
The SP (City), Dara Aswaghosh told The Shillong Times that they augmented security and traffic personnel in the area. CRPF personnel are deployed there.
He said the traffic personnel are currently deployed near the Grand Hotel at the Bimola and Motphran junctions. “We will now deploy adequate traffic police personnel to man the traffic in the Mawlonghat area,” he said.
He said the police want CCTV cameras installed in the area to enhance the security measures.
Earlier, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) accused the NPP-led MDA government of resorting to delaying tactics by reopening the road from Iew Mawlong to Bimola Junction instead of relocating the “illegal” settlers from the area.
“We are against this order to reopen the road since we suspect that the government is trying to buy time on the relocation exercise,” FKJGP vice president Kitboklang Nongphlang said.
He said they have waited patiently for the state government to relocate the residents for more than six years since June 2018 after the road was closed following a clash between Khasi youths and the Harijan Colony settlers in the area.
Nongphlang said they can never forget how the settlers “assaulted, robbed people and even molested Khasi women and girls” who were passing through the area.
“We have witnessed how the government protected these illegal settlers since the police refrained from taking any action even after receiving several complaints,” he said.
Taking a similar stand, the KSU said opening the road to vehicular traffic after six years of turmoil is not the outcome the indigenous community awaited.
“The people needed this road to reopen for vehicular traffic but what the majority of the indigenous community is eagerly waiting for is the relocation of the residents from this area,” KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah told a group of reporters.
According to Thabah, the state government recently set a new deadline, stating that they aim to complete the relocation by the end of this year.
“We hope the government will fulfil its commitment this time. Since 2018, we have seen the government repeatedly miss deadlines to relocate the residents of Them Iew Mawlong,” he said, emphasising that the relocation should happen within the next two months.
VPP, UDP want relocation completed by December
The Voice of the People Party MLA from North Shillong, Adelbert Nongrum on Sunday said it is not the first time the state government has made a promise to solve the Harijan Colony relocation issue. “This time, since the residents have extended their cooperation, the government is expected to solve it within the given time frame,” he said.
Harijan Colony falls under the North Shillong constituency.
“We will wait and see if the government keeps its promise or not. The residents have also made it clear they are ready to work together with the government to be relocated,” Nongrum said.
Urban Affairs Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar had recently said that the state government would take a final decision on the Harijan Colony relocation by the end of this year.
On the re-opening of the road from Iew Mawlong to Bimola Junction for vehicular traffic, Nongrum said: “The two issues are separate and cannot be connected. The demand is for relocation of the residents, which is a long-pending issue.”
“The barricade was put up to maintain law and order which is the duty of the government. It is good that the government has taken the step to reopen the road, but removing the barricade does not mean we will forget the demand for relocation,” he added.
He also said any intention to divert the public’s attention by reopening the road would not fructify.
The UDP has also asked the government to relocate the residents by the end of the year as per the fresh deadline set by the government.
Stating that the re-opening of the road passing through Harijan Colony is a late move, UDP working president Titosstarwell Chyne said, “I don’t think this opening of the road is an achievement of the government. The opening of the road does not make any difference since people have learnt to adapt.”
“We would like to know the outcome and achievement of closing the road for six years. How have the people benefited?” he questioned.
