Shillong, Aug 30: The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has asked the state government to amend the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act by redefining the word ‘tribal’.

In a memorandum submitted to Revenue Minister, Kyrmen Shylla on Friday, HYC said that the word ‘tribal’ in section 2(e) of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act (as amended) be redefined…that it shall mean the indigenous tribal belonging to the Khasi, Jaiñtia and Garo community who are permanently settled in the state of Meghalaya.

HYC president, Robertjune Kharjahrin said, “The state government should honour the land tenure system in order to ensure that tribal land is protected.”

The HYC also demanded from the government to implement in letter and spirit Article 244 (2), Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, section 7 of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, the Garo Hills Regulation Act 1882, the Meghalaya Land Survey and Records Preparation Act.

Kharjahrin recalled that the State government had constituted a working group committee under the chairmanship of the then Home Minister, late Thrang Hok Rangad on December 3, 1999, and this committee had also submitted its recommendations to the government on February 10, 2001.

The working group committee had recommended to the government to amend the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act to provide for transferability of land only among the three tribes which are indigenous to Meghalaya, and to give a proper definition of ‘indigenous tribal’.

Kharjahrin said that at present, other tribes from the North Eastern region can buy land in Meghalaya in view that they are included in the ST list of the state as per Constitution (Scheduled Tribe) Order, 1950.

The HYC further demanded that the state government should notify the autonomous district councils (ADCs) as one of the competent authorities under section 2 (a) of the Land Transfer Act, which will be in line with section 41 of the Rights to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 where prior permission of the concerned ADC need to be obtained before land is acquired in the Scheduled Area of the state.

“Permission from traditional institutions should also be made mandatory before permission is considered by the competent authority,” it said.