Meghalaya | Sweeper Lane residents’ decision to lock homes during survey raises doubts: Traditional heads
By Our Reporter, TNT News | Shillong, June 30, 2018:
The Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Bri Hynniewtrep (SKNSKBH) Secretary R.L. Blah on Saturday said that the decision of the Sikh community to lock their houses during the inventory survey of the Shillong Municipal Board only proves that majority of the people who are residing at Sweeper's Lane at Them Iew Mawlong are 'illegal settlers'.
"If they are legal settlers then should have cooperated with the municipal board. By not cooperating in the survey only shows that majority of them are illegal settlers," Blah told media persons after meeting Deputy Chief Minister and chairman of the High Level Committee (HLC), Prestone Tynsong at his residence here today.
While strongly condemning organisations for trying to add fuel to the situation, he said that they have no right to question the intention of the State Government on the proposal to relocate the residents from Them Iew Mawlong.
"It is the prerogative of the State Government to resolve this long pending issue," SKNSKBH secretary said, adding, "We hope that the present government would be able to relocate the residents residing in Them Iew Mawlong. We have full faith on the present government to bring a permanent solution to this long pending issue," he said.
He said that it is not be right on their part to give deadline to the State Government for relocating the residents.
"We are not saying the Government should do it immediately. But we need to have patience to resolve the matter. We cannot have a residential area in the midst of a commercial area. It is important to de-congest the area," Blah said even as he stated that if possible the Government needs to further widened the road at Them Iew Mawlong to help the people, who are passing through this road on a daily basis.
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He further stated that he failed to understand the objective of the National Human Rights Commission of coming to the State since no one from the Sikh community was injured or none of their houses were attacked.
"We hope that the three members team of the NHRC would have got a clearer picture after visiting the State. We are hopeful that the commission would be able to clear all the doubts that was painted by the media on this particular issue," Blah added.
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