Shillong, April 10: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) is yet to reply on relocation of 342 families of the Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong though the deadline ended on Monday.
“Officially we have not received anything yet”, Tynsong told reporters on Monday.
He said the government may invite the HPC for talks within this week.
“I have seen in the newspapers that they are going to meet us. May be this week itself, we will call and again discuss with them because we have already sent to them the blueprint so it is only a matter of decision to be taken by them as from the government side we have already presented to them all the details,” Tynsong added.
Shillong-Dawki road
Tynsong said that there is no specific information that NGOs are disturbing the work of the Shillong-Dawki road project.
“I am yet to know that. But if necessary, I am telling you at my level I can even call for a meeting with the NGOs if we have that kind of complaint from the concerned companies who are undertaking the construction works,” Tynsong told reporters on Monday.
The recent order passed by the Meghalaya High Court said there is a need to keep the unwelcome interference by the NGOs at bay to ensure smooth completion of the Shillong-Dawki road project.
Tynsong said the project is facing a lot of challenges.
“Even with the land owners, we need to convince them, discuss with them, it takes a lot of time doing that as the land tenure system we have in the state of Meghalaya is totally different so we need to discuss with all stakeholders.”, he said .
“But of course even the NGOs need to understand that this is the lifeline of the state as Dawki to Shillong is so important for the tourists and even for the economic activities, there is a need to complete the project,” he added.
