By Our Reporter
Shillong: The Social Organisations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) has blamed the State government for the large scale alienation of land belonging to the indigenous people saying ‘it is against the letter and spirit of the Sixth Schedule’.
“The prevalent of lapses can be attributed to the amendment of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act in 1991 without giving due importance to the Sixth Schedule,” SOMALA convener W Anthony told reporters here on Tuesday.
Taking strong cognizance against the non-adherence to the Sixth Schedule by the State Government, the SOMALA has decided to send a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh apprising him of the illegal possession of land while bypassing the Land Transfer Act, 1971 besides other related matters.
A copy of the letter will also be sent to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the respective Autonomous District Councils and the Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
SOMALA also questioned the Government’s move to acquire land at New Shillong in Mawdiangdiang, saying: “It was noticed that the so called ‘government land’ are being allotted to non-deserving lots like the IAS officers instead of the deserving poor.”
SOMALA also castigated the government’s inability to make enforcement machinery of the Revenue Department effective, saying that absence of an enforcement machinery has affected the State profoundly.