From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Sep 23: Thousands of residents from villages in Killing on Tuesday rallied against a petition filed in the Supreme Court by an Assam resident, Jitul Deka, which questions land ownership in Meghalaya.
The protest erupted at at Jorbil ground and was organised by the All Killing Durbar Committee, representing 12 villages of the area.
Speakers at the gathering alleged that the petition amounted to interference in territory that belongs to local communities, traditional institutions and landowners of the state. They expressed concern that such legal challenges could disturb peace and stability in the border belt.
The public meeting was attended by state leaders including C&RD Minister Sosthenes Sohtun,
Mawhati MLA Charles Marngar, Umroi MLA Damanbait Lamare, former Umroi MLA Ngaitlang Dkhar, Nongpoh MDC Rona Khymdeit, and traditional leaders such as Pa’iem Ken Syiem, Syiem of Raid Marwet, and A. Nengnong, Myntri of Hima Mylliem. Representatives of the RBYF, FKJGP and other organisations were also present.
The leaders assured the crowd that they would stand with the people until the legal dispute is resolved. They maintained that land in Meghalaya is owned and managed by communities, Himas and Raids under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, and not by the state government as in Assam.
The petition filed by Deka earlier led the Supreme Court to appoint the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which has since submitted a detailed report. Among its recommendations, the CEC suggested, recovery of around Rs 150 crore in penalties from the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) and associated institutions, citing alleged violations, a seasonal ban on stone mining, quarrying and earth-cutting from May 1 to September 30 each year, conversion of lands under USTM’s possession into “recorded forest” status within one year, reforestation of disturbed areas, alongside other regulatory measures.
These proposals, residents and leaders argued, would have a direct bearing on livelihoods in the Byrnihat-Khanapara corridor, where many families are engaged in stone mining, quarrying, transport and related small businesses. “If the recommendations are enforced as they stand, our people will lose their only source of income,” one local leader said.
The speakers also rejected claims made in the CEC proceedings that hill-cutting in Ri-Bhoi has worsened flooding in Guwahati. They argued that the city has faced waterlogging for decades due to poor drainage systems, and blamed the allegation on “misrepresentation” of facts.
In a symbolic act of dissent, demonstrators burned an effigy of Jitul Deka, stating it represented their resentment against outside interference in what they described as Meghalaya’s community-owned land.
The case, now pending before the Supreme Court, will determine whether the CEC’s recommendations are adopted. Leaders urged villagers not to fear the proceedings, promising collective support to defend Meghalaya’s rights under its laws and the Sixth Schedule framework.
