By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 18: In a blistering attack on the state government’s alleged land policies in Garo Hills, Tura MDC Bernard N Marak has accused the administration of orchestrating a politically motivated land grab by issuing “fake and expensive pattas” to residents under the guise of settlement.
In a sharply worded statement, Marak cautioned people not to fall prey to such tactics. “Beware of fake and expensive pattas assured by the government for vote bank politics. The state government cannot issue patta as Land is a Council matter,” he warned, underscoring the constitutional authority of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and the traditional land custodians, the Nokmas.
According to Marak, government functionaries “are on a land-grabbing spree” in the GHADC area, particularly those localities falling under the Tura GHADC constituency. He alleged that the autonomous power of the Nokmas and GHADC “is being undermined by the District Administration, which is discreetly surveying localities under Tura GHADC constituency with the assurance of issuing fake pattas to the residents.”
Marak claimed these activities extend to senior officials. “This has gone to the extent that the Additional Deputy Commissioner who is also the PIO in charge of Revenue in the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura, has provided misleading and false information” related to a January 8, 2025 letter that sought land classification for 19 localities, including ITI & Atera, Leprosy Colony, New Walbakgre, Tura Government College Field area, and more.
He said the GHADC, in reply dated January 13, asked the administration to “submit/furnish the patta/ownership documents/land acquisition documents, etc.,” but the ADC declined to do so. “The Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) refused to divulge this information as they could not provide any document asked by GHADC but discreetly continued to survey the 19 localities without the knowledge of the Nokmas and GHADC,” Marak alleged.
He further stated that two Supervisor Kanungos were coerced into signing documents without GHADC authorization. Despite letters he sent to both the ADC and DC “raising serious concerns about such illegal and unlawful activities,” Marak said he received no written reply, and warned that “legal steps will be initiated.”
The MDC also alleged that unacquired land belonging to Nokmas and GHADC is being claimed as Government Acquisition Department (GAD) land for “political gain at a very high price,” saying the move is designed to confuse residents and displace them during a crucial exam period. “The poor people of Tura residing in these localities are confused, as they would be displaced, and students would be disturbed during exam time,” he said. “This can be seen as a political move by the ruling party to convert the residents of these localities into a vote bank, which is illegal and unconstitutional.”
Calling on the administration to produce legal documents of land acquisition and compensation, he questioned how the state could claim ownership without valid papers: “If the government does not have documents of acquisition and other relevant documents of land, how can they claim it as GAD land?”
Expressing concern for traditional land governance, he revealed that “the Nokmas of Danakgre and Megonggre met me to discuss land-grabbing issues being faced by them in their Akhings,” adding that development committees were pressuring residents to sign documents improperly. “On matters of land, only the Nokma can do so,” he asserted, demanding that the state “refrain from diluting the autonomy of the Nokmas and GHADC, as it violates the constitutional provision of the Scheduled Tribes.”
