From Our Correspondent
JOWAI, April 11: In a historic first for the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), traditional heads from across the region, including Dalois and Sirdars, gathered on a single platform on Friday to deliberate on environmental conservation.
The seminar on ‘Daloiship and Environmental Conservation’ was held at Thomas Jones Synod College, Jowai. It was a collaborative initiative involving Leiden University, the JHADC, Earthtree Enviro Ltd, and the college.
The programme aimed to explore the evolving role of the Daloi—the customary and administrative head of an Elaka—in ensuring responsible land stewardship and the protection of customary laws.
Of the 18 Dalois in the region, 14 attended the event alongside both Sirdars.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, Hambertus Nongtdu, JHADC Executive Member in charge of Forest, highlighted the significance of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Act, 2015, in empowering traditional institutions.
He informed that a committee has been constituted to amend the Act and expressed hope that the seminar’s deliberations would provide valuable inputs for the proposed changes.
In her opening remarks, Anna Notsu, a research scholar from Leiden University, said she was optimistic that the discussions would lead to a policy document for submission to the JHADC.
Delivering the keynote address, noted environmentalist HH Mohrmen reflected on the historical necessity of protecting the unique landholding systems and grassroots governance of the hill communities.
He noted that while these practices were reinforced by the Sixth Schedule, the 2015 Act specifically outlines the functions of the Daloi regarding environmental protection.
The seminar also featured views from Dalois Puramon Kynjiñ, Manbha Kyndoh, Chanky Langbang and Oldwing Shadong, as well as presentations by students from Thomas Jones Synod College and Kiang Nangbah Government College.
The session concluded with a consensus among the traditional heads on the urgent need to grant greater authority to Dalois and Sirdars to effectively protect the environment and uphold the region’s customary governance systems.
