From Our Correspondent
TURA, May 5: The A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) has voiced serious concern over the alleged growing intrusion of non-tribal contractors from outside Meghalaya into the Garo Hills, a constitutionally protected Scheduled Area under the Sixth Schedule.
The organisation has called on the state government, the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and all relevant departments to address the issue urgently.
In a statement to The Shillong Times on Monday, George Prince Ch. Momin, president of AHAM Central Executive Committee, Tura, emphasised that the Garo Hills is not merely a geographical region but a constitutionally safeguarded homeland for the A’chik people.
He cited the Sixth Schedule and state-specific laws like the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971, as legal provisions meant to protect tribal land, resources and economic opportunities. Momin expressed alarm at the increasing dominance of contractors from Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, and other states in securing government contracts for construction, infrastructure, supply and development projects in the region.
The statement highlighted that although the District Council under the Sixth Schedule is empowered to regulate trade, land and development, these safeguards are being routinely bypassed or weakened. It alleged that contracts intended to benefit local communities are often awarded to outsiders through proxy arrangements and manipulated tendering processes.
In many instances, local tribal contractors serve merely as name-lenders while actual control and profits go to non-tribal entities, undermining the spirit of the Sixth Schedule and the objectives of tribal self-governance and economic independence.
AHAM further warned of the damaging impact this trend is having on local tribal entrepreneurs. Financially dominant non-local contractors are pushing out capable tribal contractors, leading to the outflow of public funds, increased economic dependency and rising unemployment among tribal youth. Further, the organisation blamed state departments for either ignoring or enabling these violations.
Stressing that the failure to enforce laws prioritising local tribal participation in public contracts exposes administrative neglect or complicity, AHAM called for the empowerment of GHADC to assert its rightful authority and protect tribal economic interests.
In light of these concerns, AHAM has urged the state government, GHADC and relevant departments to immediately review all ongoing contracts awarded to non-tribals in the Garo Hills and to enforce mandatory reservations or preferences for tribal contractors in all tenders within Scheduled Areas.
It also called for GHADC to be made the mandatory approving authority for all contracts within its jurisdiction.
Additionally, AHAM demanded investigations into proxy or benami tendering practices involving outsiders, and insisted on full transparency through public disclosure of all awarded tenders and contractors.