Lawlessness has not ceased in the case of Nengchigen Nokmaship in West Khasi Hills despite the area being under the direct eagle eye of the Meghalaya High Court.
Soljo G. Momin, the headman of Goreng-B Nengchigen village and the strongest supporter of the Nokma, Kristen G. Marak, on whose story the High Court took up the illegal coal mining case suo motu, has been suspended on false allegations.
Now, even as the case on Nengchigen is being heard in the High Court, the illegal coal mining lobby has allegedly reached right into the court of the Syiemship of Hima Nongstoin to get the village headman, Soljo G. Momin suspended.
Momin has reportedly been a stumbling block in the plans to mine the coal there illegally, sources said and he has been a solid rock against the criminal activities of the lobby which is bent on rat hole mining and into timber trade by cutting the trees of the pristine forests of the Negchigen Nokmaship, said sources.
According to several sources, Momin was very serious about his role as a headman and had followed the culture of the Nokma who was for protection of the forests, water and lands. Over the course of the struggle to stop illegal mining and timber trade, he had even gone to the extent of seizing timber and even confiscated timber cutting equipment belonging to illegal timber traders several months ago. The timber was handed over to the police while the machines were parked in his courtyard. Sources said that Momin had gained the ire of this timber lobby.
This move resulted in the installation of an acting headman who could be more pliable to the cause of the illegal mining, it is alleged. These manipulations are allegedly propped up by none other than Alnet Marak, one of the persons against whom an FIR was filed by Kristen Marak for illegal mining activities on her land, beating them, and being in cahoots with armed men used to protect the illegal mining.
Surprisingly, despite there being an FIR against him, police have not arrested him. In fact his shadow has grown more menacing as despite the FIR by Kristen Marak, Alnet and his cohorts managed to get bail even without an arrest, something that caused the simple village folk to stand in fear and awe of his ‘power’ over the police and the law.
According to sources, Momin received a notice to appear before the Syiem of Nongstoin in his office on March 16. The letter to him said that there was a report and inquiry of the work of the headman in the village and asked him to come and explain. Sources said that Momin appeared before the Syiem of Nongstoin only to be asked to sign a resignation letter, which he declined.
On the same day, a notification from the Syiem of Nongstoin’s office announced that Momin has been suspended. The reason given by the Syiem of Nongstoin was that Momin had lost the confidence of the members of the Dorbar Shnong, because of which an acting headman Rowell Sangma was being installed to administer the day to day activities of the village.
Normally, one does not see the Nongstoin Syiemship so responsive and prompt to act on people’s complaints against headmen particularly those who have been issued appointment by the Hima. But in this matter of Nengchigen, which is already taken up by the High Court itself, it is strange that the Syiem of Nongstoin has been so hasty in interfering by removing the local headman without going into the facts and circumstances in the village, sources said.
This action by the Syiem of Nongstoin might well attract the ire of the Meghalaya High Court which is serious about digging out the nexus that has made illegal coal mining possible in places such as Nengchigen as well as in the entire State.
The High Court order issued by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh on February 23, 2022 on the Nengchigen illegal coal mining issue and the sufferings of the Nokma, Kristina G. Marak is a clear indication that the High Court is serious about giving justice and protecting the terrorised people.
The High Court order also has a warning that the persons involved have to be brought to book. The court order states, “It also appears from the relevant article and other newspaper reports that a complaint has been lodged in such regard by the Nokma of Nengchigen against certain persons, including the police, alleging widespread illegal mining of coal within the clan lands.”
The court also sought an independent inquiry report from the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police and said that the probe should be “without any political interference” so that the matter is “appropriately and thoroughly investigated in accordance with law and the persons involved are brought to book.” The next hearing of the case is April 12.
