Shillong,May 29: When I came and settled here, I used to get one kg rice for Rs 1 and later for Rs 2, we were not called Bangladeshis then, but the times have changed, now we are called Bangladeshis whereas we are not, said 50-year-old Kusuma Begum, a resident of Lum Survey near Barabazar(Iewduh) fire station, in the city.
Begum wanted the government to provide security to the residents as they live in fear. “We have children and elderly persons , they are living in fear and we request the goverment to provide police security”, she said.
Other settlers like Begum pointed out that their parents came to Lum Survey 50 years ago from Assam.
“Some of us were born in Ganesh Das Hospital too”, a few residents said.
The locality is in the news after Hynniewtrep
Youth Council (HYC) demolished nearly 80 ‘houses’ on May 23 terming the people as illegal settlers. The residents have reiterated that they are Indians and showed their identity cards to visiting journalists.
There were 85 wooden rooms accommodating the residents.
“Many of us have EPICs from Assam and some from Meghalaya”, said Amina Begum while showing her documents as proof.
Rahim Ali and a few others have EPICs from Meghalaya.
The residents eke out a living engaging as painters, rag pickers and daily wage earners.
Students affected
Recalling the day when the pressure group dismantled the structures, an elderly woman said that the eviction started when the children came back from schools and prepared to have food but they could not eat anything in the melee.
“The examinations of our children are starting soon, their uniforms and books are all gone”, she said.
The students are pursuing education in nearby schools.
According to the residents, a make-shift school run by an NGO at Lum Survey helped the students in additional learning but the education centre also came under eviction drive of the group. The desks, benches , blackboard and books were found thrown away .
“We were getting free education from the make-shift school here”, the children said.
The East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner SC Sadhu had termed the action as illegal and inhumane. Registration of a case against the HYC followed. Meghalaya Human Rights Commission also issued a notice to the government.
‘We chased out drug peddlers’
The remaining Lum Survey settlers have said they had already chased out the anti-social elements, especially the drug peddlers from the area and there is no cause for worry.
“Half of the residents have already left and we have only 50 residents, including children”, said H. Khatoon.
During a visit to the area on Saturday, they asserted before the reporters that they will not allow any drug peddlers to reside in the area.
The HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said eviction was mainly targetted at the illegal settlers especially inview of the complaints of drug abuse. According to Synrem, the pressure group came to know about the return of some people who sell drugs which prompted them to take action by way of eviction.
Though the area is under Defence Estate, Guwahati, a case is pending in the district court, Shillong.
‘Took EPIC from Assam after Meghalaya denied’
Many residents said they had to take election cards from Assam after Meghalaya denied to provide the same.
They questioned as to what prevented the election department and the concerned authorities to deny their rights.
There are also settlers like Raju Murmu and Rabi Ali who are trying to figure out the reason why they have to be evicted without any prior notice.
The residents claimed that they used to pay rent to the ‘owner’ of the land.
“Paying of the rent stopped since Covid, we used to pay Rs 1000 per bulb to provide electricity to another individual”, they added.
The MeECL recently disconnectd illegal power lines.
In the absence of water supply, power and other civic and sanitation amenities, the area has become unhygienic to live with sources pointing out humanitarian intervention from the state government and the Defence Estate till a settlement is arrived at.
