The conglomeration of organisations known as SOMALA (Social Organisations of Meghalaya against Land Alienation) has weighed in on the supposed land scam, allegations of which were made by the opposition Trinamool Congress this week.
According to the TMC, the state government purchased land in Mawpdang from a middleman at almost twice the price that the latter bought it from villagers, contributing to a loss to the state exchequer of over Rs 100 crore. However, the government rejected the allegation, with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong saying that all procedures had been followed.
However, SOMALA said that the procedure for the sale is not complete as there is no competent authority to sanction such a sale.
SOMALA argues that the state government did not renew a notification to instate the competent authority under the terms of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act 1971. Under this legislation, “No land in Meghalaya shall be transferred by a tribal to a non-tribal or by a non-tribal to another non-tribal except with the previous sanction of the competent authority.”
SOMALA added that the government is considered as a non-tribal for the purposes of this law.
It had met the Chief Minister with regard to the non-existence of the competent authority in 2019 and had issued a press release in this regard last month but to no avail.
