Meghalaya: Organisations dissatisfied over Harijan Colony relocation delay

Shillong: The Khasi Students' Union (KSU) and the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Meghalaya government's failure to relocate "settlers" from Them Iew Mawlong (Harijan Colony) in Shillong by the end of 2024.

KSU General Secretary Donald V Thabah said that the relocation issue has been pending since 1996 and despite the government's promise to address it in 2018, there has been no significant progress.

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Thabah stated that the government's inaction has ignored the sentiments of the people, who have been waiting for years to see the settlers relocated.

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The FKJGP also condemned the government's "soft stand" on the issue, questioning the delay in relocation when a site opposite the Shillong Municipal Board office had already been identified.

The Meghalaya government had initially proposed relocating the families to the premises of the Shillong Municipal Board, allocating 2.14 acres of land and an additional 1.4 acres.

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However, the Harijan Panchayat Committee demanded more land, leading to a delay in the relocation process.

Chief Secretary DP Wahlang recently announced that the government is considering a new proposal to allocate defence land adjacent to Harijan Colony for the relocation of 342 families.

A formal letter has been sent to the Defence Secretary, and a high-level meeting between the Chief Minister and the Defence Minister is expected to take place soon.