Editor,
Through these columns, I wish to draw the urgent attention of the citizens of Meghalaya and the concerned authorities to a shocking act of cultural vandalism and legal defiance unfolding in the heart of Shillong: the silent, complete demolition of the historic heritage bungalow, ‘Tara Ghar’, on Bivar Road.
This is not merely the loss of another old building; it is a brazen assault on Shillong’s unique identity and a disturbing example of wilful contempt toward judicial oversight.
For the uninitiated, Tara Ghar was previously protected under the strict lens of public interest litigation (PIL) before the Gauhati High Court (Shillong Bench). The legal proceedings were closed only after statutory safeguards and committee mechanisms were envisioned under the Meghalaya Heritage Act, 2012. Yet, recent disclosures under the Right to Information (RTI) Act have exposed a terrifying reality: no fresh permission, order, or leave was ever granted by the High Court to dismantle this heritage structure. It was pulled down silently, in complete darkness, bypassing the spirit of judicial scrutiny.
I had formally raised this matter with the Registrar General of the Hon’ble High Court of Meghalaya via an email dated 04-Feb-2026. Regrettably, no swift executive or judicial action followed that warning. Had immediate intervention occurred at that crucial juncture, the groundwork on Bivar Road today would be entirely different, and a priceless piece of our history might have been saved. Instead, the delay emboldened the perpetrators to finish the job, presenting the public and the courts with an irreversible fait accompli.
This tragic episode exposes a deeper, systemic rot. It is painfully obvious that the government of the day, much like its predecessors, possesses absolutely no feelings, respect, or vision for the historical landmarks of our state. Successive administrations have consistently treated our heritage as a disposable inconvenience, clearing the path for sterile concrete blocks at the cost of our soul. If the state machinery, which is legally bound to act as a custodian under the Heritage Act, chooses to look the other way, where does the ordinary citizen turn?
I have now addressed a formal representation to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya, praying for suo motu cognisance and the initiation of stringent Contempt of Court proceedings against those responsible.
If we allow Tara Ghar to be erased without accountability, it sets a fatal precedent. It sends a message that statutory laws can be ignored with impunity and that judicial oversight can be waited out until the damage is done. We, as a society, cannot afford to remain silent spectators while our past is bulldozed out of existence.
Yours faithfully,
Rajiv Roy
A citizen
