Harijan relocation: Govt expects breakthrough during April 28 meet

SHILLONG, April 14: Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Monday assured that the state government is likely to take a final call on the Harijan Colony relocation issue during the meeting scheduled on April 28.
The High Court has deferred the hearing in the case until April 28 to allow the government and the Harijan Panchayat Committee more time to explore an early settlement.
The issue has dragged on for years without a conclusive decision, ever since communal tensions flared in 2018 and a High-Powered Committee was formed under public demand.
The government has approached the Ministry of Defence for the allotment of 2.5 to 3 acres of unutilised defence land opposite the Harijan Colony. However, the matter appears to linger a little longer, with another round of meetings on the horizon.