SMB serves fresh notices to residents of Them Iew Mawlong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 29, 2019

SHILLONG: The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) on Monday served fresh notices to all residents of the Sweeper’s Colony directing them to furnish documents before the board’s office within a month’s time.

“…it is once again requested to all the residents of Mawlong Hat to provide the information…” SMB chief executive officer (CEO) SB Sohliya said in the notice.

He said the notices have been issued in continuation with the general public notice issued on May 31 and in pursuance of the order passed by the Meghalaya High Court on June 28.

The CEO also directed the residents to submit all information to the designated officers of the SMB before August 30.

According to him, the information so furnished by the occupants would be used for taking administrative decision including examination of legal claim of the residents.

It may be mentioned here that the Board in its earlier notices issued on May 31, to over 300 households of the Sweeper’s Colony had set July 3 as the last date for submission of documents. However, not a single resident had complied with the notice.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya High Court had directed the residents at Them Iew Mawlong to furnish the requisite information to the state government.

The order was passed by the division bench comprising of the Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice HS Thangkhiew on June 28, while hearing a review petition filed by the state government against the Harijan Panchayat Committee/Punjabi Harijan Colony & others.

“However, it is directed that the occupants/residents of the concerned area shall cooperate in furnishing the requisite information to the State,” the order of the bench said.

The exercise to issue fresh notices was also done based on the direction of the High Level Committee (HLC) constituted by the state government to find a feasible solution for the relocation of the Sweeper’s Colony from Them Iew Mawlong, following the last year’s violent protest.

As per the inventory report submitted to the HLC, a total of 184 employees and their families have been identified as legal settlers. These include families of 128 employees of the SMB and 56 others who are working in the different government departments.