Shillong: Harijan colony relocation to congested Mawbah not final, says Tynsong

Shillong: Following strong resentment by local residents over the Meghalaya government’s plan to relocate residents of the Harijan Colony to Mawbah near TB Hospital, locality headman David Syiemlieh called on Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Tynsong heads the high-level committee (HLC) that is dealing with the pending issue of relocating the 342 families from the disputed Them Iew Mawlong / Harijan Colony. 

The meeting was also attended by West Shillong MLA Mohendro Rapsang and Mawbah secretary Aris Thabah. They apprised the deputy minister that Mawbah is already a congested locality and if another 342 families are shifted to the locality, it will worsen the situation.

“The decision to relocate 342 families of Harijan Colony to Mawbah in Shillong is not the final decision and their concerns will be looked into,” Prestone Tynsong said.

MLA Mohendro Rapsang said, “The deputy chief minister has told us that TB Hospital is one of the locations out of many identified for settlement of residents and the decision to relocate has not been finalised yet.”

Rangbah Shnong of Mawbah David Syiemlieh said that they cannot allow the shifting of the colony in their locality as the locality is already congested and small.

“We already have a population of more than 14,000 and adding 342 families more in the area will lead to a huge problem for us. We cannot allow the shifting of the residents of the colony in the locality at any cost,” David Syiemlieh said.

Earlier, Tynsong had said the TB Hospital area at Mawbah was the most appropriate location for the relocation of the Harijan Colony residents.

On Sunday, the Dorbar Shnong of Mawbah made their statement clear that any move by the state government to relocate the residents to the proposed site would be opposed tooth and nail.

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