Shillong Municipal Board at Receiving End of Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong’s Ire

Staff Correspondent

Shillong: The Chairman of the High level Committee (HLC) and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong insinuated that the issue of relocating the inhabitants of Harijan colony could have been possible much earlier had the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) followed up with the court orders.

The HLC was constituted by the government after the June 1 flare up that nearly turned into a big communal issue in Shillong. Varied groups have demanded that the inhabitants of the area should be relocating elsewhere. Notwithstanding the government constraints in acting as per the public voice due to the High Court orders.

The HLC in its third meeting on Thursday deliberated on the issue and agreed that it needs further clarifications and other documents from the department concern to further the cause of Government in its attempt to relocate the genuine settlers, evict the illegal occupants and adhere to the court directives.

Speaking to newsmen soon after the meeting Tynsong spoke about the constraints. He said, “We need further clarifications and documents from all the concern departments before we take a call”. They include the Directorate of Land Records, Department of Urban Development, Hima Mylliem and others.

While making it clear that the cases related to the remove or relocate the legal inhabitants is still pending in the court, the Deputy Chief Minister was also apt in saying, “had the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) followed up with the earlier court order these things would have not sprung up”.