Meghalaya: Lack of cooperation from Sweeper’s Lane residents derail survey process

By Our Reporter, TNT News | Shillong, June 26, 2018:

While the State Government's High level Committee, looking into the Sweeper Lane's residents' relocation demand, is yet to take a final call on the issue, the Shillong Municipal Board, which is entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the land survey of the area, has complained the residents residing at Them Iew Mawlong were not cooperating with the staff of Board during the inventory survey which begins today.

Besides listing the houses, the SMB was supposed to take the head counts of the people residing in the area as part of the exercise. The municipal is conducting the exercise as per the directive of the High Level Committee (HLC) in order to identify the legal and illegal settlers in the area

"As of now, we are not getting any cooperation from the Sikh community to carry out the inventory survey. We are hoping to get the cooperation as this whole exercise moves forward," SMB Chief Executive Member, B.S. Sohliya told media persons here today.

He, however, said that they are in constant talks with the leaders of the Sikh community to ensure that the exercise is being carried out smoothly.

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When asked about the people who are holding the protest, Sohliya said that the protesters are not their concerns as long as they are not trying to disrupt the exercise.

It may be mentioned that hundred of women, resident in Sweeper's Lane are holding dharna to protest the move of the Government to relocate them from that area.

The SMB CEO however said that they have not been able to make head counts of the people residing in the area since majority of the houses were locked.

He said that they have only done the listing of the houses adding that it would take some time to complete the exercise.

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The Shillong Municipal Board CEO also informed that a total number of six teams with three members each accompanied by two police personnel are involved in the inventory survey.

According to Sohliya, a total number of 128 employees of the board are residing in this area.

Meanwhile, later in the day, a two-member delegation of the National Human Rights Commission met the leaders of the Sikh community.

However, the details of the meeting were not divulged by the officials. One of the member told media persons that they have visited this place as per the directive of the commission.

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