Shillong limps back to normalcy, curfew stays

Guwahati: A day after Meghalaya’s Democratic Alliance government formed a high-level committee, headed by deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, to find a permanent solution to the issue of relocation of the sweeper colony, there was no report of any fresh violence or untoward incident from any part of trouble-torn Shillong on Tuesday.

The state administration has, however, decided to keep curfew in force across the entire city on Tuesday too, from 4 pm to 5 am Wednesday.

Saying the home department has to take a call on restoring Internet and messaging services, East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner P.S. Dkhar told reporters: “Over 90 per cent shops in Police Bazaar, and parts of Bara Bazaar opened this morning. People were seen buying supplies. Taxis were also plying on thoroughfares, but long-distance buses still remained off the roads.”

The hill town was in the grip of violence since Thursday following a clash between the Sikh residents in Shillong’s Punjabi Lane area, also known as sweeper colony, and the Khasi drivers of state-run buses.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, who on Monday chaired an all party meeting and decided to form a high level committee to look into long pending dispute on relocating the sweeper colony from its present locations said, “We have decided to form a high-level committee, which will be headed by deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong. The other members will include home minister James P.K. Sangma, urban affairs minister Hamlet Dohling, health and family welfare minister A.L. Hek, agriculture minister Banteidor Lyngdoh and the CEM of KHADC, P.N. Syiem.” He said that the urban affairs department has been asked to submit a detailed report on the Punjabi Lane area to the committee, including its history, legal aspects and concerns of the people living in the area.

The Committee shall also examine all relevant records and documents relating to the relocation of the Sweeper Colony, Sweeper Lane, Mawlong Haat. The Committee is mandated to recommend practically feasible solution for relocation of the said Sweeper Colony. The residents of the area claim that they are the descendant of a Punjabi family who migrated to Meghalaya over a hundred years ago during the time of the British Raj and they have been living in the state capital Shillong area since then. The local tribal residents however consider them a migrant and accuses that government provided them settlement illegally as they are not tribal. Meanwhile, the state government has also met stakeholders, including the heads of tribal institutions and representatives of the hawkers’ association, who have been affected by the current law-and-order situation in the city.

The stakeholders demanded relocation of the Punjabis from the Them Metor area.