Syllabus: GS –II & V: Local self-government

Why in the news?

Protests demanding eviction of alleged illegal settlers from Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) land in Karbi Anglong escalated into violence in West Karbi Anglong, leading to arson, police firing, injuries, and serious law-and-order concerns. The episode has brought the complex land governance framework under the Sixth Schedule into sharp focus.

What triggered the unrest?

• Agitating groups, largely from the Karbi community, demanded immediate eviction of alleged illegal settlers from PGR and VGR land.
• Protestors were on an indefinite hunger strike when rumours spread that some had been arrested.
• This led to mass mobilisation, attacks on property, and the burning of the residence of the Chief Executive Member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).
• Security forces were deployed, and firing and lathi charge were used to disperse violent mobs.

Understanding PGR and VGR land

• Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) lands are meant for common use, especially grazing and livelihood support of indigenous communities.
• These lands are critical for protecting traditional land rights and preventing alienation of tribal land.

Legal complexity behind eviction

• In February 2024, KAAC issued eviction orders against “unauthorised occupants” of PGR/VGR land.
• The order cited Supreme Court directions asking states to clear encroachments from common lands.
• However, affected parties approached the Gauhati High Court, claiming:
  • The lands they occupy were not formally notified as PGR or VGR.
• The High Court granted an interim stay and asked KAAC to file an affidavit clarifying whether the lands in question were legally notified as PGR/VGR.

Role of the Sixth Schedule

• Sixth Schedule provides for Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
• Under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Autonomous District Councils like KAAC have powers over:
  • Allotment, occupation and use of land
  • Forest management (excluding reserve forests)
  • Village administration, shifting cultivation, inheritance, and local governance
• However, these powers must be exercised within constitutional safeguards and judicial oversight.

Key governance gaps exposed

• Weak land records and revenue administration in Sixth Schedule areas.
• Ambiguity over formal notification of PGR/VGR lands.
• Lack of updated land mapping, digitisation, and public access to records.
• These gaps raise a critical question:
  How could large-scale encroachment occur on notified common lands without administrative failure?

Why violence is counterproductive

• Karbi Anglong has a painful history of ethnic conflict and insurgency.
• Violence risks undoing years of peace-building and development.
• Development-deficit regions suffer the most when law and order collapses.

Way forward

• Immediate priority must be restoration of peace and trust through dialogue.
• Inclusive consultations involving:
  • Indigenous communities
  • Alleged settlers
  • KAAC, State Government, and civil society
• Legal clarity through:
  • Proper affidavit submission by KAAC
  • Time-bound adjudication by the High Court
• Administrative reforms:
  • Clear notification and digitisation of PGR/VGR land
  • Strengthening land revenue systems in all Sixth Schedule areas, including Bodoland Territorial Region and Dima Hasao
• Preventive governance, not reactive policing, must guide future action.

Why this issue matters beyond Karbi Anglong

• Similar land pressures exist across tribal autonomous regions in the Northeast.
• Balancing indigenous land protection, rule of law, and human rights is central to constitutional governance.
• The crisis is a reminder that identity-sensitive issues require legal precision, not populist haste.

Exam Hook

Key Takeaways

• Land governance in Sixth Schedule areas is powerful but legally nuanced.
• Protection of tribal land must go hand-in-hand with due process.
• Administrative gaps can escalate into social conflict if not addressed early.

Mains Question

“Discuss the challenges of land governance in Sixth Schedule areas with reference to the PGR and VGR land dispute in Karbi Anglong.”

One-line wrap:
The Karbi Anglong unrest shows that protecting indigenous land rights demands not just authority, but legal clarity, administrative competence, and sustained dialogue.

SOURCE