In most states there are water user bodies that take decisions about the quantum of water needed in each locality/village, how water is used, who are the major users of water and how is water to be priced. It is only in Meghalaya where we have not heard of water user bodies and that is because the State does not have a Water Policy. Without a Policy guideline, although the State may have mapped the water sources and catchment areas, it has failed to prevent such key community resources from being commoditized and privatized. Today those who own water sources have made a successful business model by selling water to parched residents. Successive governments have shirked their responsibility and skirted away from taking major decisions on land use policy which would also include water use, by saying that land belongs to the people. The Government has stopped short of defining who those “People” are. The “People” excludes the poor and voiceless that have lost whatever little land they owned. Today in Meghalaya, it would not be wrong to surmise that about 20% of tribals own 100 % of the wealth which includes land and real estate, forests and water sources. If Davos made headlines when an Oxfam study revealed that 1% of Indians have cornered 73% of the wealth of this country, then why is the rapid privatisation of land in Meghalaya not making headlines anywhere; not even within our own state?
The reason why this cardinal sin lies hidden is because land ownership lacks transparency. Without a complete cadastral survey we will never know who owns how much land. Politicians will continue to oppose this important step because they have a vested interest in doing so. Politicians are the major land sharks here, but should people not be worried that common property resources are being privatized right, left and centre?
Meghalaya must also be the only state where water as a private business is not regulated but operates in a laissez faire manner. It’s time to push for land and water legislation!