SHILLONG, MAY 2: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Thursday questioned the decision of the state government to seek clarification in regards to the 342 families of Them Iew Mawlong from the same department, which had replied to information sought under RTI Act, 2005 that there are only 194 families identified as government employees.
“Yesterday’s statement of Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong that he has sent (RTI reply received by the HYC) to the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and Urban Affairs to reverify is a joke in one way. How can he send our representation to the same department which has replied to our RTI. How will that change? Will they change the data now? Will they change the fact now? They will be in trouble. How can you make a person who is not an employee of SMB – after we have raised this issue he will say that now he is an employee of SMB, which is not possible,” HYC president Roykupar Synrem told reporters.
“We are sticking to our demands and let’s see the clarification given by the SMB. After that we will take necessary action,” he said.
He said that the government will be holding a meeting with the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) on May 7. “However, we stand firm that we have no issue and no problem for the government to provide quarters to the employees of the state government but they should not provide any benefits to any household that are not serving as government employees,” Synrem said.
The HYC has demanded the government to evict 148 illegal settlers from Them Iew Mawlong, following the findings through the RTI reply given by the SMB.
On the delay to resolve the issue, HYC president said, “We have not come across a government, which has the political will to take decisions on any matter or whatsoever. We have seen committees come and go but we have not seen the result yet and the present dispensation is also no different from the other dispensation but saying that we hope that the present government will finally take a decision as we want these people to be relocated from there. We don’t want the same issue to crop up again and affect the security of the state as a whole.”
He also threatened that the HYC will do what is necessary if the government continues to buy time in regards to the issue.
