By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The locals of New Denggagre and Dobetkolgre Terracegittim of Williamnagar outskirt area in East Garo Hills have demanded the District Administration to stop encroaching into their privately owned lands and conducting surveys.
Despite having obtained an order to maintain status quo from the Meghalaya High Court (MHC) in December 2015, the district administration has shown scant respect for the High Court order as they have repeatedly unilaterally sent their survey teams into the areas. The government action has been a nightmare for the villagers, who are running from pillar to post to defend their claims against what is clearly an attempted land grab. A fear psychosis prevails in the area peopled by simple tribal people.
In a letter written to the Deputy Commissioner, East Garo Hills, 41 odd villagers, who have land holdings, reiterate that they live on their own lands which fall under the tribal customary lands of the Dobetkolgre and Denggagre under the Simsanggre Nokma Akhinglands and not under the Williamnagar Township area.
They pointed out that boundary is clearly notified in the notification dated 15-2-1984 by the then DC of East Garo Hills, N K Das, which has defined the boundaries of the Williamnagar Township. The Dobetkolgre and Denggagre areas do not fall under this boundary.
The villagers questioned the State Government that why did it allot the land to the Police Department.
The people of the area only came alive to such a move, when the SP of the district issued eviction notices to the land owners a few years ago. They rushed to the DC but having failed to get any relief knocked at the doors of the MHC for justice.
Hence the order to maintain status quo in the case. The court in its order asked the DC to follow proper procedure as by no means can an SP ever issue an eviction notice to anyone under the prevailing law.
This case is one more example of how the government and its officials grab tribal and community lands within a so called “tribal state”.
The people said that there seems to be some grave misunderstanding within the government departments itself. They have asked the DC to resolve the case across the table rather than prolonging and aggravating the matter. Sources said that the Williamnagar Township history is full of discrepant data which point to deep government corruption over the years.
For instance, documents obtained through Right to Information by the Nokma of Simsanggre Akhingland-56 (5) shows that while the Government had acquired only 195 bighas from his Akhing area and for which he received compensation, the total area of land the Government had actually taken was 597.36 bighas for setting up its various offices.
There is a clear need for clarification from the Government instead of using power and force to evict people from their homes.