The young IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh who challenged the might of the sand banking mafia should serve as an example to our own officers in Meghalaya. Sand banking and quarrying are serious issues in this hill state and they threaten our water security. The notion that land belongs to the people and that therefore the owner/owners have every right to do what they wish to in that land, even if it is at the cost of the surrounding communities, need serious debate. How can individual rights supersede community rights? The very basis of a tribal community is that of a shared heritage, shared resources and shared values. If these are no longer palpable or visible then the very notion of “tribalism” needs to be put on its head. On the one hand we wax eloquent about the protection of our customary rights and practices but on the other hand we find that those practices are no longer sustainable. We cannot have it both ways.
This editorial has argued in the past that the very phrase, “land belongs to the people” and words like, “community” need to be deconstructed so that there is better understanding of the ground realities. Planning and allocation of resources are done on the basis of these faulty notions. No wonder development fails to touch those who need it the most. Governments seem to be catering to the needs of those with the loudest voices and the clout. Durga Nagpal the lady IAS officer has stood up against the rich and powerful in a state known for its lawlessness and where patriarchy is still very dominant. Can our IAS officers in Meghalaya, particularly those in whose jurisdiction there is maximum destruction and desecration by way of quarrying, mining and sand banking, stand up against the might of a few land owners? The Deputy Commissioner, Jaintia Hills has set the precedence by imposing Section 144 against limestone miners under his jurisdiction. Can other DCs do the same? The people will be with them if they dare stand up against the so-called land owners.
