Hek asks govt depts to provide accommodation for their own employees residing at Sweepers’ Colony

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 30, 2022

BJP leader and adviser to the chief minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Saturday asserted the need for different government departments to provide accommodation for their respective employees, who are presently residing at Them Iew Mawlong.

“All concerned departments should take care of their own employees by accommodating them. We have to provide them a place (so that they can be relocated from Them Iew Mawlong),” Hek told reporters.

According to him, the majority of the residents of the Sweepers’ Colony are employees of the different departments including Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), Urban Affairs department, Health department and others.

On the Harijan Panchayat Committee’s demand for 10 acres of land in exchange for the land at Them Iew Mawlong, the former cabinet minister however said, “You cannot throw anybody, especially those who have been working and residing in our state, on the streets that is my personal opinion. That is why the different departments should take responsibility to accommodate their respective employees.”

“Without seeing the demands (of the HPC) I cannot say anything much but my concern is only about the government employees,” he added.

When asked about the illegal settlers on that land, Hek said that is for the government to decide.

On April 25, the state government had agreed to relocate all 342 households from the Sweepers’ Colony to its revenue land.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had informed that a blueprint of the proposal will be prepared and sent to the HPC before the government takes a final call in the next meeting scheduled to be held on May 15.

He however maintained that if the HPC’s demand is for heaven, maybe it is beyond our consideration. “If they reject, it means we have to meet in the court,” Tynsong had stated.