By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 10: The Meghalaya government has given the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) 15 days to discuss their issues and arrive at a decision regarding their relocation.
The issue of relocating the Harijan Colony settlers has remained unresolved for six years since 2018.
Representatives of the government headed by the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of the Urban Affairs Department, Sniawbhalang Dhar held a meeting with the leaders of the HPC and other Sikh bodies on Saturday to discuss the relocation of the 342 families from Harijan Colony.
“A few more issues need to be ironed out. The government has agreed to give them 15 days to take a decision and communicate with us,” he said. “They said they would like to take everyone on board and discuss with bigger organisations,” he added.
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.
Asked if interference by outsiders could hinder the relocation process, Dhar said the matter is strictly between the government and the HPC.
The members of the HPC have conveyed their satisfaction with the meeting. Jagdeep Singh from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee said it was a fruitful meeting although a few issues remain to be addressed.
He declined to elaborate on the issues.
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.
