In a significant move aimed at securing global recognition for Meghalaya’s iconic natural marvels, the state Cabinet on Wednesday approved the amendment to the Meghalaya Heritage Act, 2012.
The amendment comes as part of the state’s intensified efforts to support its formal submission to UNESCO for the inclusion of the world-renowned Living Root Bridges as World Heritage Sites. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, said “This is being done in line with our submission to the UNESCO for the Living Root Bridges to be declared as a world heritage site and for us to be able to strengthen our case further, we are amending the Act to incorporate provisions that would make Living Heritage like the Living Root Bridge also part of what we also consider as heritage.”
The amendment also proposes to exclude the land acquisition for Living Heritage under the Act so as not to affect the traditional existing Community land holding system.
Further, the amendment aims to safeguard Meghalaya’s traditional landholding systems by eliminating the requirement of land acquisition for heritage declaration when properties are under community or societal ownership. “We have decided in the cabinet that the earlier Heritage Act that had come out there were clauses that required the government to purchase the land or particular property for it to be then declared as a heritage location or to further act on different aspect of this Act. Now we have inserted a clause which says that government may however exempt acquisition of land or possession of the living heritage sites provided the same is vested on the community or society, which means that it is not going to be mandatory for the government to acquire or to have ownership of that as long as it is owned by the community and society,” he added.
