Settle Sweepers’ Colony issue in court: MPCC chief Vincent Pala tells MDA government

SHILLONG:

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H Pala on October 15 asked the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government (MDA) to settle the issue pertaining to the relocation of the Sweepers’ Colony in court.  

“If the government is serious, they should fight in the court and settle it,” Pala said. “Since the matter is (pending) in the court, the government should put a good lawyer if they are serious (about solving the matter),” he added.

Pala, however, stated that a committee can always make recommendations. “I have not read the committee’s recommendations. I saw it in the news. This High-Level Committee (HLC) was appointed two years back. Whether the court will recognise the committee or not, is totally a separate issue. If the committee recommends (something), it doesn’t mean the court will agree or disagree,” he said. The MPCC however felt that the government is mishandling the issue.

The High-Level Committee (HLC) headed by the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong in its report submitted on September 28, had recommended relocation of Sweeper’s Colony and taking possession of the land at Them Iew Mawlong. The Urban Affairs department was also asked to find locations for the relocation of “illegal settlers”.

Outrightly rejecting the HLC recommendations, the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) on October 8, vowed to fight against the “illegal acts” of the state government while claiming that the land was “gifted” to them by the then Syiem of Hima Mylliem.

On October 14, a delegation of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), led by Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, had sought the intervention of the Meghalaya governor Satya Pal Malik on the issue.

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