Khasi Traditional Governance Systems Demonstrate Effective Forest Conservation in Meghalaya

Hindustan Times - India · 2 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Environment Mains · GS3 Environment and biodiversity High relevance

A study highlights how Khasi community institutions like Dorbar Shnong and Hima enforce traditional conservation practices, maintaining over 70% forest cover in Meghalaya despite developmental pressures.

Key points

Law Adong are restricted forests in Khasi tradition where resource extraction is tightly controlled or prohibited, protecting springs, streams, and biodiversity-rich habitats.

Dorbar Shnong and Hima are traditional Khasi governance institutions that enforce community norms and resolve natural resource disputes, demonstrating effective grassroots environmental governance.

The study by NESFAS documents how these systems regulate tree felling, fishing, hunting, and water use in five villages, preserving ecological balance through community rules.

Meghalaya retains over 70% forest cover despite mining, quarrying, and commercial farming pressures, attributed largely to these traditional conservation practices.

[GS3-Environment] The study connects to environmental governance by showing how indigenous knowledge systems can complement modern conservation efforts, a key theme in environmental policy.

Traditional jhum cultivation cycles have shortened from 20+ years to under a decade due to population pressure, reducing soil recovery time and straining ecosystems.

Broom cultivation, mining, and stone extraction are identified as emerging threats to traditional landscape management systems in East Khasi Hills.

The research notes that environmental change in Meghalaya isn't new, with forest degradation traces dating back 2,000 years to iron-smelting and megalith transport activities.

Tensions exist between state-led conservation and customary land ownership, as most Meghalaya land remains under community or clan ownership, complicating top-down approaches.

Way Forward: Integrate Khasi customary systems into formal conservation policies, establish legal recognition for community forest rights under FRA 2006, and develop hybrid models combining traditional knowledge with scientific conservation methods.

Key terms

Dorbar Shnong

The traditional village council in Khasi society that governs local affairs, including natural resource management. It represents participatory democracy at grassroots level and holds constitutional recognition under Sixth Schedule provisions for tribal areas in Northeast India.

Hima

A traditional administrative unit in Khasi hills comprising multiple villages, functioning as a higher-level customary governance body. It handles inter-village disputes and resource allocation, exemplifying federal principles in indigenous governance systems relevant to tribal autonomy debates.

Law Adong

Sacred groves or restricted forests in Khasi tradition where resource extraction is prohibited or regulated. These represent an indigenous form of protected areas that predate modern conservation concepts, offering models for community-based biodiversity preservation.

Sixth Schedule

Constitutional provisions (Articles 244(2) and 275(1)) granting autonomous administrative powers to tribal areas in Northeast India. It enables traditional institutions like Dorbar Shnong to function alongside modern governance, crucial for understanding tribal self-rule under Indian federalism.