SHILLONG, NOV 11: Meghalaya urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh justified the eviction drive of illegal settlers at Umsawli saying that the court had also termed them as encroachers.
Lyngdoh told reporters on Monday notices to the illegal settlers were not required as the court verdict on October 20 justified the ownership of lands at Umsawli as that of the Meghalaya government.
Last week Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had conducted an eviction drive at Umsawli for to pave the way for construction of the New Shillong Township but CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing had protested against the eviction and obstructed the eviction drive. She was however arrested by the police after the MUDA officials filed an FIR for obstructing them when the eviction drive was being carried out.
Lyngdoh, however, told reporters that the government is ready to discuss the issue with the affected people provided that they do not take law into their own hands.
According to Lyngdoh, MUDA wants to go into the issue as per the requirements and MUDA officials even wanted to inquire about the settlers but they were not willing to divulge their antecedents to the authorities
Lyngdoh expressed concern over the delay in starting the work of the NST project even as she emphasised that the project will ease the congestion in Shillong but lamented that the project is being delayed because of frequent obstructions.
Meanwhile the report of the MUDA officers to Lyngdoh said the two plots of the land were allotted to NEEPCO and IT department during 2010
As per the report of MUDA surveyors submitted to Lyngdoh on Monday during the last eviction drive, the MUDA had explained about the ownership of the plots and some court papers were show to the encroachers but they refused to listen and the land belongs to the government.
The report said later Agnes Kharshiing appeared in the scene and abused the MUDA officials and instigated the villagers who created unruly scene almost leading to violence.  During the eviction drive, seven kutcha huts, one semi pucca shed and one kutcha shed were vacated by the encroaches. – By Our Reporter
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