The study argues that these indigenous systems continue to function because of strong local accountability and deep cultural links between the Khasi community and natural resources.
ROOPAK GOSWAMI
Shillong, June 2: Even as Shillong reels from recurring water shortages and tanker dependence, a new study argues that some of the city’s most effective water managers are not government agencies, but traditional Khasi village councils that continue to run community-based water systems rooted in indigenous knowledge.
Published in the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, the study — “Securing Shillong’s water future: the role of indigenous institutions” by researcher Bankerlang Kharmylliem — examines how dorbar shnongs (village councils) are sustaining water access in different parts of Shillong despite rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation and growing pressure on water infrastructure. Bankerlang Kharmylliem teaches at the Shillong Commerce College.
“Understanding local urban water governance is of utmost importance as urbanisation is increasing in Himalayan cities,” Kharmylliem said, underlining the need to study how traditional institutions are adapting to mounting urban pressures.
The paper comes against the backdrop of Shillong’s severe water shortage earlier in 2024, when residents across the city queued at public taps, relied heavily on expensive water tankers and faced erratic supply for months.
Calling the situation a “paradox”, the study notes that Meghalaya — India’s wettest state with nearly 4,000 mm annual rainfall — continues to struggle with water accessibility and storage because of population growth, failing infrastructure, environmental damage and fragmented governance.
At the centre of the study are three Shillong localities — Lawjynriew, Nongkhyriem and Madanrting — where traditional institutions manage water through different models ranging from community spring systems and cooperative water-sharing to decentralised village-led distribution networks.
In Lawjynriew, residents depend on a mix of PHED supply, private spring-fed pipelines and traditional “um shnong” community water systems, creating what the study describes as a “polycentric governance” model.
Nongkhyriem, meanwhile, stood out for its unusual practice of allowing residents from neighbouring localities to collect water from community springs — a sharp contrast to many parts of Shillong where access is tightly controlled.
Madanrting was highlighted for its strong community-led conservation efforts, where village councils oversee spring protection, water distribution and forest preservation around local catchment areas.
The study argues that these indigenous systems continue to function because of strong local accountability and deep cultural links between the Khasi community and natural resources.
“Water remains a communal possession closely tied to Khasi identity,” the paper notes, warning that unchecked urbanisation, privatisation of land and weakening community participation are putting these traditional systems under strain.
The research also raises concerns over Shillong’s larger urban planning failures, including ageing pipelines, unregulated expansion, shrinking catchment areas and more than 50 per cent “unaccounted-for water” losses in urban supply systems.
It further warns that climate change could worsen the crisis through extreme rainfall events, contamination of freshwater sources and increasing pressure on fragile hill ecosystems.
Among the solutions proposed are expansion of small community-managed water networks, rainwater harvesting at the household level, groundwater-based local supply systems and stronger collaboration between PHED and village councils.
The paper makes a strong case for recognising traditional institutions not as relics of the past, but as critical actors in Shillong’s future water security.
“The urgent imperative to preserve indigenous water governance systems cannot be overstated,” the study says, adding that Shillong risks losing its remaining water commons unless traditional ecological knowledge and community-led governance receive stronger legal and policy backing.
