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Shillong , May 10: The High Level Committee (HLC) has decided to give one month time to settlers at Them ïew Mawlong to submit documents to prove that they are residing in the area legally.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the HLC chaired by Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong in the presence of Urban Affairs Minister, Hamletson Dohling and ports minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, Mawkyrwat MLA, Renikton Lyngdoh besides government officials here on Friday.

Tynsong told reporters that the committee has directed the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to again start the inventorization in the form of issuing public notices.

“We have also decided to give one month time to the settlers to come forward and submit their papers to the chief executive officer (CEO) of the SMB,” he said adding “This will be the second and the last opportunity to be given to them (settlers) to prove that they are illegal settlers.”

Tynsong said that public notices would be issued to all settlers including the employees of the board.

According to him, the exercise was necessitated in view of the fact that the settlers had refused to cooperate during the inventory conducted last year, where most of their houses were under lock and key.

Earlier as per the inventory report submitted to the HLC, a total of 184 employees and their families have been identified as legal settlers. These include families of 128 employees of the SMB and 56 others who are working in the different government departments

Appealing to all settlers to extend their cooperation, the Deputy Chief Minister however assured that genuine settlers would be protected.

“It was from 1954, the Syiem of Hima Mylliem had handed over a portion of land to the SMB to house its employees. Therefore legal settlers need not worry anything as they will be protected,” he said.

Tynsong said that once the inventory is completed, the HLC would again sit to (decide the next course of action).

It may be mentioned here that the HLC was constituted by the state government following the violent protest which started from May 31 to June 5, last year demanding the immediate shifting of the settlers from the area.

Asked, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the committee’s job was to submit recommendations to the state government for relocating genuine settlers from Them ïew Mawlong.

“The question of how long the committee will take does not arise as arriving at a permanent solution is not a matter that can happen overnight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tynsong informed that the office of the SMB, which is temporarily functioning from the board’s staff quarter at present, will be shifted very soon in order to provide space to accommodate its employees.