Shillong: The Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) on Wednesday objected to the Meghalaya government’s ‘Meghalaya Climate Emergency and Green Growth Framework,’ calling it a reflection of the secretive and non-transparent nature of law-making in the state.
The Meghalaya State Council on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, reportedly reviewed the “Meghalaya Climate Emergency and Green Growth Framework,” which aims to address the climate crisis. A Meghalaya climate emergency law is also being proposed.
TUR leader Angela Rangad criticized the government’s approach, stating, “Climate change and green growth cannot be addressed by law and policy that is consultant-driven, top-down, and devoid of pre-legislative consultation.”
TUR also condemned the use of the global climate crisis and the term “emergency” as a pretext by the Meghalaya government to conceal ongoing environmental exploitation. The organization highlighted the real emergencies facing the state, including illegal coal mining, indiscriminate hill cutting, deforestation, unregulated extraction and sale of minor minerals like stone and sand, land alienation, and extensive privatization of common resources.
Rangad emphasised the need for accountability, recalling the chief minister’s 2019 World Environment Day announcement of planting 1.5 million trees. “The chief minister needs to be held accountable and answerable for the status of that project five years on. There must be transparency and accountability regarding the public resources spent, not just in monetary terms, but also in terms of governmental manpower and time,” she said. “Gimmicks will not suffice to address the real crisis Meghalaya is facing with regard to rapid and deliberate deforestation and environmental degradation. In fact, Meghalaya did nothing to oppose the Forest Conservation Act that threatens the rights of tribals to forests and their protection.”
Rangad also demanded public disclosure of the outcomes of public spending on environmental conservation, noting that significant budgets have been pledged for the conservation of catchment areas and the protection of springs over the years. “It is not acceptable to merely announce the existence of a climate emergency framework without making public the full methodology used to develop this so-called framework for Meghalaya,” she added.
She stressed the importance of public disclosure for such a significant policy, given its impact on tribal rights to land, forest, and water. She also called for adherence to the Sixth Schedule provisions to ensure that the jurisdiction of District Councils and traditional institutions over land and forests is respected.
TUR demanded a ‘pre-legislative consultative process’ for any proposed laws, including any ‘climate emergency law.’ The organization emphasized that any proposed policy or law must urgently address the real issues contributing to rapid environmental degradation in the state.
Dear Reader,
Every day, our team at EastMojo travels through rain, rough roads, and remote hills to bring you stories that matter – stories from your town, your people, your Northeast.
We do this because we believe in truthful, independent journalism. No big corporate backing, no government pressure – just honest reporting by local journalists who live and breathe the same air you do.
But to keep doing this work, we need you. Your small contribution helps us pay our reporters fairly, reach places others ignore, and keep asking the tough questions.
If you believe the Northeast deserves its own fearless voice, stand with us.
Support independent journalism. Be a Member.
Thank you,
Karma Paljor
Editor-in-Chief, eastmojo.com
TUR’s list of demands includes extensive and proper pre-legislative consultation with all stakeholders, especially district councils and traditional institutions, the implementation of environmental laws in letter and spirit, and transparency disclosures and public audits on the status of all environmental projects in the state to date.
Also Read | Mizoram: Police seize meth worth over Rs. 5 crore hidden in air coolers