The news that a Nokma (village head) sold 1.5 Kms of community land near Nokrek Biosphere Reserve to a coal miner is yet another case of abuse of power by a traditional head. This comes close on the heels of the reported sale of land inside Mawpat Protected forests in Greater Shillong area. The Nokma ostensibly sold the land to an individual who claims that he will carry out scientific coal mining in the area. How can land in the proximity of a protected zone be allowed for mining purposes – scientific or otherwise? What are the protective mechanisms in place for the scientific mining operations and who is going to monitor whether the mining is scientific or if the same old rat hole mining method is adopted? Paromgre the area where the coal mining is proposed to be carried out falls under the Chokpot C&RD Block in South Garo Hills and is the source of several rivers that flow through South Garo Hills. These rivers are likely to be affected by acid mine drainage as has happened in East Jaintia Hills where two rivers are dead till date. The question that arises is how can the Nokma on his own volition and without any consultation with the community sell ancestral land where apparently coal mining is already under way? Thankfully the clan and community members have raised their voices and demanded to know how this community-owned land was sold without consulting them. They have demanded that the coal mining be stopped at once in the interest of the future generation.
This action by the Chras and clan members of Paromgre A’king and the local residents in blowing the whistle over this secret deal between the Nokma and the coal mine owner should send a strong signal across the state. Meghalaya is today inching towards landlessness where ancestral community and clan lands are being parcelled off to a rich tribal and political elite by those elected by the community to be the custodians of their land. How did the tribal chieftains – the Syiem, Sordar, Nokma and Rangbah Shnong usurp the power to sell off community land without their knowledge? Why have tribal communities become silent onlookers to these dubious deals that are actually pushing the large tribal population of Meghalaya especially in the Khasi-Jaintia hills to acute poverty with not even a roof over their heads. This brings us to the point of traditional institutions and whether their powers and functions can continue to be left undefined, leaving them free to operate outside the purview of the laws made by the Autonomous District Councils which are supposed to have been created to help conserve tribal lands, forests, rivers and minerals which are to be used for the larger good of the community. Needless to say, without any oversight over these traditional institutions, they have become a law unto themselves today. This arbitrary exercise of power must be curtailed and here the courts have to step in as arbiters on behalf of the people.
