A survey was conducted to demarcate the Tura peak catchment area and the A’king lands by Tura MDC Bernard N Marak.
Officials from the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), the Forest Department (Territorial) and the A’king Nokmas, along with representatives of Danakgre A’king, Megonggre A’king, and Boldorenggre A’king, were involved in the survey.
The team visited the source of the Gandrak stream in Tura, which marks the boundary of Danakgre and Megonggre A’kings, and the catchment area.
Marak highlighted that the source of the Gandrak stream has dried up due to extensive deforestation and jhum cultivation in the catchment area.
He mentioned that the catchment area was previously managed by GHADC before Meghalaya’s statehood.
However, after statehood, the responsibility to manage the forest was transferred to the state Forest Department without any formal notification to GHADC, Marak said, pointing out that the state forest department erected pillars in the A’king land without the permission of the Nokmas and GHADC.
Stating that the catchment areas in Tura were not acquired during the British time or under the Assam Forest Regulation Act, Marak emphasised that Garo Hills was declared a scheduled area under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution after independence and Assam handed over all departments to the GHADC.
He alleged that the state then took over most departments from the GHADC and manipulated their functions.
He further stressed that, officially, the catchment areas and most departments fall under GHADC not the state.
“There was no official handover of the departments but rather manipulation by the state of and the unchecked massive deforestation over the last 50 years, leading to the alarming drying up of most water sources,”Marak said.
He urged the GHADC to live up to irthe responsibility to protect the water sources.
