Shillong, May 09: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council today has sent memorandum to the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya Prestone Tynsong putting an objections to the demands by the Harijan Panchayat Committee over relocation of people residing at Them Iew Mawlong.
In the Memorandum the HYC said that they have came to their knowledge through the media that during the course of the last Meeting between the Government appointed Committee and the Representatives of the residents of Harijan Colony,Them Iew Mawlong, under the banner and name of the so called Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC).
In the meeting the residents of Them Iew Mawlong has agreed to be relocated from the area provided the State Government accepts certain conditions listed by them and most importantly the condition that the Government should give around 200 Sq Meter along with a pucca house at the cost and expenses of the State Government to each of the families residing at Them Iew Mawlong to any other place within Shillong European Ward.
On their demand the HYC is of the opinion that the demands made by the HPC are absurd, illogical and completely illegal. We are aware that the State Government has executed an Agreement/MoU with the Syiem of Hima Mylliem whereby the Government has taken ownership over all the Land at Them Iew Mawlong.
The Government has also paid some amount as compensation for the said land and also agreed to give the Hima Mylliem the benefit arising out of the development of the said land in due course of time. Hence, it is clear that the entire land that is of Them Iew Mawlong belongs to the State Government and not to anybody including the settlers and the so called HPC.
The HYC also understand that some of the settlers at Them Iew Mawlong are the employee of SMB and other Government departments and these people should be relocated,shifted to any government quarters and in the absence of such quarters, the same law which applies to other Government employees serving in different part of the State should also be applied to these people i.e. giving of House Rent Allowance and no special treatment should be allowed or given to them whatsoever.
If the Government decide to provide free land and free house to these people, we feel that all the Government employees will make similar demands in the future and this will create a big burden to the State Government and the people of Meghalaya who actually pay and contribute to the State Exchequer.
Besides the employees of SMB and other Government Departments, the rest of the Settlers at Them Iew Mawlong are illegal settlers. So the question of relocating these people does not even arise, forget about providing free land and free houses. They should be evicted from the area or premises as per the provisions of law.
Any wrong decision of the State Government in this regard will create a bad precedent in the future as each and every landless citizens of the State will start to occupy Government land.
The HYC demand that the State Government should not accept such conditions of these people and the so called HPC, the memorandum was sign by the President Mr. Robertjune Kharjahrin and the general secretary Mr. Roy Kupar Synrem.
