Eviction act to apply against ‘illegal settlers’ at Sweepers’ Colony: Govt

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 22, 2021

The state government is all set to implement provisions of the Meghalaya Public Premises (Eviction or Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1980 against alleged “illegal settlers” once relocation of Sweepers’ Colony from Them Iew Mawlong takes place.

“The eviction act will apply once all the employees of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and other departments of the state government are shifted (from Them Iew Mawlong),” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Monday.

“However, that will come at a later stage because as of now our main concern is to provide permanent quarters to all genuine employees of the SMB as well as the different departments of the state government,” he added.

On October 29, Meghalaya government had taken over the land at Them Iew Mawlong after paying Rs 2 crore premium to the Syiem of Hima Mylliem in its bid to relocate the Sweeper’s Colony.

The taking over of the land measuring 12,444.13 sqm was as per lease deed dated March 31, this year.

The tripartite lease deed was signed between the government of Meghalaya, the Syiem of Mylliem and Shillong Municipal Board. 

This was after the state Cabinet had accepted the report and recommendations of the High Level Committee (HLC) headed by the Deputy CM.

When asked, Tynsong said the government has asked the SMB to immediately shift their temporary office from the quarters of its employees by the end of this month.

“Once the temporary office is shifted from the quarters, we have instructed the CEO of SMB to get these quarters repaired so that the employees of the SMB staying in that place (Sweepers’ Colony) can be shifted to their permanent quarters,” he added.

He further informed that the 40 employees, who have already shifted from the land at Them Iew Mawlong, are from different government departments.

“We have already requested all concerned departments to take out their employees and provide them with quarters in their respective places,” he said.

To another query, Tynsong said that instruction has been given to the Urban Affairs department to work out the proposal for utilization of the land at Them Iew Mawlong.

“Whether they want to have a shopping mall or parking lot in the area, I cannot answer that as we have already entrusted the urban affairs department to come back to the cabinet with a proposal for utilization of that land,” he added.