Shillong, April 29: There are only 194 families, who are employees of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and other government offices, and presently residing at Them Iew Mawlong and not 342 families as claimed in the affidavit filed before the Meghalaya High Court in regards to the issue of relocation, according to an RTI finding.

The RTI reply received from the officie of the SMB has prompted the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) to seek the intervention of the deputy chief minister in-charge home (police) for the immediate eviction of 148 illegal settlers from Them Iew Mawlong as the question of relocating them does not arise.

This came ahead of the upcoming meeting between the state government and the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) to be held on May 7, for taking a final decision on the matter relating to relocating the 342 families to government owned land of about 3.54 acres within the European Ward of Shillong.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, HYC president Roykupar Synrem said that the deputy chief minister has expressed shock and surprise at the RTI findings and has assured to seek clarification from the SMB before the government takes a final call on the matter.

He said that as per RTI replies received from the office of the Shillong Municipal Board, out of 342 families who are residents of the Iew Mawlong, there are 148 families who are not employees of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) or any other Government Departments and only 194 families are employees of SMB and other offices of the Government.

“It is also informed to us that most of the employees of the SMB are either part-time or daily-wage sweepers. Most of them have been appointed without any advertisements whatsoever and some of the employees have expired but the family members are residing there,” he said.

“Firstly, we reiterate our views and opinions as communicated to you earlier that the 195 families residing at Them Iew Mawlong, whose family members are either the employees of SMB or other Government departments maybe provided with government quarters and can occupy the same till such time they are serving as employees of the State Government and in the absence of such quarters, the same law which applies to other Government employees serving in different part of the State should also be applied to these people i.e. giving of House Rent Allowance and no special treatment should be allowed/given to them whatsoever,” he said while adding “If the Government decide to provide free land and free house to these people, we feel that all the Government employees will make similar demands in the future and this will create a big burden to the State Government and the people of Meghalaya who actually pay and contribute to the State Exchequer.”

He said secondly, besides the employees of SMB and other Government Departments, the rest of the Settlers i.e. the 148 families who are not working under the Government of Meghalaya and are residing at Them Iew Mawlong, have no right whatsoever to make demands for quarter/dwelling units from the Government.

“So the question of relocating these people does not even arise, forget about providing free land and free houses. They should be evicted from the area or premises as per the provisions of law,” the HYC president demanded even as he added that “any wrong decision of the State Government in this regard will create a bad precedent in the future as each and every landless citizens (which are in huge numbers) of the State will start to occupy Government land.”

Further, Synrem said that as per the RTI replies it is seen that most of these employees of the SMB have been appointed without following due procedures i.e. calling of advertisements. Many youths from the Hynniewtrep community are also able to do the jobs that these people are presently serving.

“Therefore, necessary directions be given to SMB to call for advertisements and/or appoint the local indigenous youths to such posts as and when the posts are vacant,” he said.

“We therefore demands that the State Government should: provide quarters (dwelling units) to only 195 families who are employees of the State Government,” he said.

The HYC president said that the government is demanded not to provide any benefits to the 148 families who are not employees of the State Government but rather take necessary actions as per the relevant laws for eviction.

“(The government is also demanded to) call for advertisements for various vacant posts of Sweepers and other part-time/daily wage jobs in the SMB from now onwards without giving/providing special treatments to the residents of Them Iew Mawlong,”he added.

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