Dorbar Shnong oppose govt’s decision to relocate Sweeper’s Colony to Mawbah 

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 19, 2022

The Dorbar Shnong of Mawbah on Tuesday expressed stiff opposition against the state government’s move to allot 3 acres of land near the RP Chest hospital for construction of housing flats for relocation of 342 families of Sweeper’s Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.

The clear message was conveyed by a delegation of the dorbar shnong led by West Shillong legislator Mohendro Rapsang during a meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also the chairman of the High Level Committee, which is looking into the entire matter.

This came after the proposed blueprint submitted recently before the Meghalaya High Court indicated the state government’s decision to allot 3 acres of land for construction of housing flats for the residents of the Sweeper’s colony.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, headman of Mawbah David Syiemlieh said, “We have conveyed the unanimous decision of the dorbar shnong and its residents to strongly oppose the government’s decision to utilize the land near the hospital for relocation of the Harijan colony.”

Syiemlieh said one of the main reasons behind the opposition was due to the fact that the area is already very populated to accommodate another 300 plus families.

According to him, Mawbah already has over 14,000 population and if the government shift the 300 families to the locality, the area will be very congested and will make life even harder for the residents residing there.

Syiemlieh said that the deputy chief minister had informed the delegation that the government has not taken any final decision to allot the land to the Harijan community and that Mawbah is only one of the localities in Shillong which they had identified for relocation.

Meanwhile, West Shillong MLA Mohendro Rapsang said that the people of Mawbah have nothing against the Harijan community but are only concern about congestion that may be created due to such decision. 

“Everyone knows that Mawbah is one of the densely populated localities in Shillong hence, the people and the dorbar shnong felt that accommodating another three hundred plus families in the locality will not be possible” said Rapsang. 

Rapsang said that being the people’s representative, he stands with the people and the Dorbar Shnong of Mawbah and since the Dorbar Shnong had already taken the decision to oppose the move, he will abide by the decision of the people.