HT Bureau
DIPHU, April 3: The Revenue department of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), with the approval of Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang, has authorised the Rong Asar (Karbi traditional village headmen) to issue No Objection Certificates (NOC) for land transfers in the case of land sales or gifts from one person to another.
However, land transfers within families due to inheritance are exempted from requiring an NOC from the Rong Asar.
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“The authority of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Diphu, is pleased to entrust Rong Asar (Village Headmen) with the responsibility of issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) for the transfer of land between individuals in the case of land sales or gifts. However, transfers of land within families due to inheritance are exempt from requiring an NOC from the Rong Asar, though a No Objection Certificate from the family members is mandatory,” read a recent order issued by the Revenue department.
Welcoming the move, Bronson Teron, general secretary of the West Karbi Anglong District Committee of the Karbi Rong Asar Amei (KRAA), stated that in Nagaland and Meghalaya, land in the Sixth Scheduled areas is under the control of traditional village headmen. As Karbi Anglong is governed under the Sixth Schedule provision of the Indian Constitution, the KRAA has long advocated that the traditional village headmen (Rong Asar) should have authority over land.
The KRAA has submitted memorandums to the KAAC, demanding that the Land & Revenue department should not issue land pattas, land gifts, or land transfers without obtaining an NOC from the concerned Rong Asar.
After years of advocacy, the CEM has agreed to delegate the authority to issue NOCs to the Rong Asar.
“This transfer of authority to issue NOCs to the Rong Asar is welcomed by the KRAA, and we appreciate the CEM for taking such a bold step. If authority over land had been in the hands of the Rong Asar, the land of the indigenous people would have been better protected. It would not have been transferred to non-scheduled tribe people. We thank the CEM for taking this strong step to safeguard the land of the scheduled tribe people,” Teron added.
