By Toki Blah
I do hope that none of us are naive enough to believe that this is the first time these hills and the people in them have been hit by a pandemic. Folk lore and historical narrations of the past (ki khana tang uba rim ) do inform us of virulent diseases (ka Khlam) that plagued our ancestors ages ago. Of interest is how and in which manner did our ancestors cope and manage in such situations? In those times there were no organised constitutional institutions such as Government with its ministries and departments to deal with a pandemic. The concept of a district administration with all its bureaucratic resources to enforce Government rules and regulations was yet to be born. All that stood between survival and death were traditional coping mechanisms which were far from perfect. We are told that Village Dorbars came up with their own common sense survival strategies that called for enforced isolation of the village from outside contact through barricades and by exiling afflicted patients to the forests, where they either survived or perished. Sounds cruel but it was done to save the larger village community from being infected and wiped out! The same overall objectives exist today under the threat of Covid 19. Protocols, albeit more humane, that inhibit normal social interfacing are once again the order of the day. In the absence of a vaccine we are only left with social distancing; home quarantine; lockdowns and curfews. The Question remains – who enforces these protocols?
Today in the 21st Century we pride ourselves with the claim that we have now invented and created formal and constitutional institutions known as Governments that are expected to take care of the welfare and well-being of citizens. Governments in turn formulate administrative policies, assisted by trained bureaucrats and technocrats, to carry out the day to day functions of administration. Within the trauma of the health crisis Meghalaya finds itself in, has the administration and the state Government therefore been able to deliver? Given the severe limitations that Meghalaya functions under (shortage of resources, both fiscal and economic; shortage of experienced manpower; shortage of health infrastructure and equipment; deficient in food and foodgrains production; absence of past experience) one tends to conclude that the administration has performed beyond expectations irrespective of a few glitches here and there. This is no mean achievement. How did they do it? I sincerely believe that it became possible mainly because of the timely and appropriate partnership the Government made with the communities through the village Dorbars. It was key; the critical tipping point, crucial to the success till date of our ability to contain the spread of this dreaded disease, despite the worst case scenario that happened in one of our city hospitals. The way the Dorbar Shnongs responded to the need of the people and the community was exceptional. One didn’t expect it of the Dorbars but they did it. The traditional village Dorbars and its Rangbah Shnongs rose to the occasion; they put their best foot forwarded and in the process proved to the world that the potential of the Dorbar Shnong to provide equitable grass-root governance (ka synshar khadar shnong kaba ryntih) is there; its alive; it simply awaits to be recognised, empowered and made relevant to the needs of our times.
So what did Dorbars do that made them such critical collaborators in Meghalaya’s current fight against Covid 19? On March 24 the 21-day lockdown announcement enforced by a curfew had caused confusion, worry and anxiety amongst the public. There was urgent need to maintain calm and public composure before unfounded rumours could set in and cause more panic and confusion. Timely dissemination of information by an agency in whom the public had confidence and faith in was the need of the hour and here was where the Dorbars came in. Almost all Dorbars had their own PA systems and through these the official announcements of the administration relating to opening of ration shops; distribution of food and essential commodities were made and lifting and imposition of curfew announced. It immediately helped bring down the palpable community tension by several degrees. Then came the fallout from the first Covid patient of Meghalaya. Contact tracing from the initial patient brought in confirmation of more positive Covid cases at Pamlakrai and Mawprem. Here again the Rangbah Shnongs of both communities stepped in to bring in calm and equanimity within their respective jurisdictions that were perplexed and on the verge of panic. A non tribal, new to Shillong who was witness to the above, was all praise for the system. He was more impressed with the manner in which the traditional grassroots institutions interacted so seamlessly with the district administration in such a crisis. His wish, expressed in no uncertain terms, was for the introduction of the system to the rest of India. This is the sort of social capital that we in Meghalaya enjoy which our political system has singularly failed to capitalise on.
The task before both the administration and the Dorbars is far from over. As a matter of fact it has just begun. Thousands of Meghalayans, stranded in other parts of the country, even in Covid Red Zone areas, due to the lockdown have to be brought back home. It has to be done. With the return of these migrants the possibility of a major outbreak of the disease in the state resurfaces. This has to be prevented at all costs and to ensure this the State Govt has come up with strict protocols on how the returnees and their respective families ought to behave. We are however dealing with human behaviour and some of the returnees and their family members, may deliberately, contravene such precautions. This must not happen. The Govt has set up Village Health Teams, headed by respective Rangbah Shnongs to strictly enforce Covid 19 protocols. Our very existence (ka iap ka im ka jaitbynriew) might just depend on the degree these teams are able to enforce social distancing and house quarantine on the returnees and their families. The challenges before the Village Health Team will be tremendous and will come mostly from the rich, the powerful and the know-it-all individuals within the community. The teams need reinforcements. If the survival of the jaitbynriew is at stake will it be too much to expect such reinforcement and help from faith based groups and other NGOs of the state. We must join hands to defeat the disease. So please join in, don’t let ego or any sense of self importance make you stand apart.
In analysing the role, functions and responses of the Government and the traditional Dorbar Shnong to the challenges posed by the Covid 19 crisis, one is immediately struck by the similarity between the two. One gives service at the state level, the other at the community level. The mandate however is the same – 24×7 service to the people! The greatest challenge before the Dorbars was how to work in tandem with the Government and its agencies. To the credit of the Dorbars this was done with hardly a hiccup and the seamless manner on how Dorbars blended with Government efforts at Covid 19 management must be appreciated. To state an unpleasant truth, the District Councils have always championed the traditional character of the Dorbars but have done precious little in 70 years to empower them to be modern, empowered grassroots governing bodies. The State Government on the other hand with or without laws, without preconditions and with no hesitation, has always accepted the Dorbars as the most competent and viable institution to partner with in its effort to provide service and development to the grassroots. There are however those who accuse the Government of recognising the Dorbars only in times of emergency. Here it must however be admitted that it is the Dorbars themselves who have always been contemptuous of Government outreach attempts and have always turned to a non-performing and highly politicised but lame duck District Council for patronage and recognition. Dorbars have reaped zero dividends from such dependency. The time has now come for our traditional bodies to review and reconsider with who to collaborate with in their mandate to serve their respective communities. On the part of the Government this strategic partnership with the Dorbars at the state, district and block level must be encouraged to continue. If there is one lesson that the Covid 19 outbreak has taught Meghalaya it is the urgent need for a uniform and standardised State Act to empower our traditional grassroots institutions to increase their efficacy as modern grassroots governing bodies and to work flawlessly with the administration. It is what the state needs; the people need and it is the need of the hour.
(The author is President, ICARE)