Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar, announced that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will soon meet the Union Defence Minister in Delhi to discuss the allocation of defence land for relocating 342 families from the Harijan Colony at Them Iew Mawlong.
“You have to wait for some time because maybe tomorrow or the day after, the Chief Minister is meeting the Defence Minister in Delhi about the Harijan relocation and the defence land,” Dhar said.
“The Chief Minister is planning to meet the Defence Minister to address this matter. At the same time, we are trying to resolve the issue very positively and soon. A blueprint is ready, but if there’s a better option, we’ll consider it. The land will be obtained free of cost,” he added.
The proposed relocation plan gained renewed attention after concerns were raised over the dismantling of the Gurdwara in the Harijan Colony. In September, representatives from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Save Shillong Sikhs (SSS), who traveled from Amritsar, held discussions with Meghalaya Chief Secretary DP Wahlang. During the meeting, they voiced their apprehensions about the potential impacts on the Sikh community.
The government’s move to expedite the relocation process underscores its commitment to resolving the long-standing issue while addressing concerns of all stakeholders involved.