Our Bureau
JOWAI/SHILLONG, Oct 7: A fresh demand has been made by the Jaintia National Council (JNC) under the ‘Save Jaintia Mission’, for the return of ancestral lands ceded to Assam and a fresh, science-driven mining policy that revives livelihoods without sacrificing the environment.
In a memorandum submitted to Shillong MP Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon on Tuesday, the JNC urged him to take up both issues — the restitution of Blocks I and II to Meghalaya and the creation of a balanced mining framework that allows small-scale operations to function legally alongside major ventures.
The organisation said its Save Jaintia Mission envisions a future where economic growth, cultural identity, and ecological protection coexist. It appealed for either the return of the disputed lands or fair compensation to restore the community’s dignity, and for the introduction of policies that would permit small-scale mining under strict scientific and environmental safeguards.
Mining, the JNC noted, has long been the economic backbone of the Jaintia Hills, sustaining thousands of families. The blanket ban imposed in the name of conservation, it said, has instead left deep economic scars. Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2018 verdict in Civil Appeal No. 10720, which upheld the rights of Meghalaya’s tribal communities over land and minerals, the JNC said the ruling provides an opening for the state to pursue regulated, sustainable mining.
The council asserted that the time had come to reconcile environmental priorities with the economic rights of the indigenous population through a new Standard Operating Procedure that formally recognises small-scale mining within a controlled framework.
Reiterating its demand for the re-transfer of Blocks I and II to Meghalaya, the JNC reminded that these areas historically belonged to the Jaintia people, particularly the Syiem Sutnga family. Citing British-era records, including a certified 1896 map, it said the documents clearly established the territories as part of the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills District.
In case the return of the lands is deemed unfeasible, the JNC urged the Assam and Union governments to provide equitable compensation and development packages to address the long-standing grievances of the Jaintia people.
