DIMAPUR, APRIL 5 (MExN): Oil and Natural Gas Company has been censored from any petroleum-related activity by the Changpang Village Council. Making public the Changpang Declaration dated March 24 last, Chairman of the village council, Longsihthung Kithan, stated for and on behalf of all the Lothas residing within the jurisdiction of the Village Council area of Changpang: “Under any circumstances we will not permit ONGC or its other companies to carry out any kind of work in our land”.
Having learnt of the Nagaland Government granting the mining lease to ONGC from the company’s website and a newspaper report, Kithan declared, “This is against our will and determination in accordance to our firm and unchallengeable decision 13 years ago when ONGC was forced to leave Changpang.” The then State Government withdrew the temporary consent for trial production to ONGC. Instead, the village council wants the All Lotha Resource Management Cooperative Changpang (ALRMCC), comprising of all the landowners “who were hitherto lying scattered and misused by various agencies for their benefit.” The cooperative became functional in 2006.
“The main reason for our backwardness was the lack of knowledge of the viability and economic feasibility of our natural resources,” Kithan noted. “For the last 13 years we have been working out effective means to produce our own valuable natural resources effectively and in such ways that will benefit the socio-economic up-liftment of the people of Changpang and the Nagas as a whole.”
The objective of the cooperative is to find out an effective corporate body that will assist the commercial production of petroleum by improved technology, hi-tech human resource and capital investments for future purposes along with a planned economic strategy as well as restoration of the eco-system, according to the village council.
Referring to the RIO conference which makes “Social License” a legal binding on the government and the implementing agencies, Kithan stated, “As the chairman of the village council, it is my responsibility to create a sustainable development in the village using natural resources. Petroleum is a depleting resource. Moreover, we live in a fear that ONGC will create gas flares, unnatural destructions as they have done in Borholla, create scenes of insecurity in the minds of the people and finally plan out strategies, means to relocate the villagers in new areas, and carry out operations without our knowledge and involvement. Our fears are not baseless and cannot be denied.”
The land owners of Changpang gave the rights of their land to the ALMRCC in 2006. Accordingly, ALMRCC, after many discussions, appointed an Indian Company for carrying out production, it was informed.
Making mention of having approached Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio a couple of times in connection with the issue of PEML, Kithan said their papers were ‘finally’ accepted on February 2006 by the Additional Chief Secretary, Geology and Mining, and endorsed it for action at the Chief Ministerial level.
“However, it is unjustifiable and it contravenes the official practices, the State Government of Nagaland through the Minister of Geology and Mining and its administrative structure has misconstrued the ground realties and visibly has misappropriated the good offices against the will and the law of the land.”
Recalling the Supreme Court’s orders that disallow issuing mining leases to private individuals or corporates except to its own instrumentality, the declaration stated, “It is, therefore a loud violation of the laws and the provisions of the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution of India.”
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has also been pulled up for ‘keeping away’ despite holding the concerned department. The first official release came in the web site of the ONGC with a photograph of Chief Additional Secretary Geology and Mining handing over the files to a General Manager of ONGC in Jorhat. Three days later, the news came in the local dailies as a press release of ONGC.
“Why and how our Chief Minister did stay out of this and was made a low profile affair. Award of PEML to ONGC is a serious decision as far as the people of Nagaland is concerned. Why was the news camouflaged for three or more days? Why the state did not declare this to the masses. Why the ALRMCC was not issued the PML? What is the advantage and the benefit to the state in giving PML to ONGC?”
The Changpang Village Council further said the Government’s decision would lead to the loss of several Crores of rupees “which would have been with the state exchequer and other funds and initiatives including future growth prospects and investments.”
“In Nagaland there is no commercial activity, the Village Council of Changpang envisages the onset of a new phase of commercial development in Nagaland. So, we, the people of Changpang hereby bring it to the notice of all concerned that the right of the Naga people over the land and its resources shall be the final word in this and the PEML to ONGC shall be treated as null and void.”
Maintaining that the duty of the elected government is to protect the right of the tribals over the land and their natural resources and to provide ways and means to utilize their own resources by themselves, Kithan said the Nagaland Government should withdraw the mining lease granted to ONGC. “We are for development but not to be exploited.”
The Government replies
DIMAPUR, APRIL 5 (MExN): Replying to the Changpang Village Council’s declaration of forbidding ONGC or its other companies “to carry out any kind of work in our land”, Additional Chief Secretary (Geology and Mining), Lalthara, today said none would be able to extract oil without the help or approval of the State. Confirming the grant of license to ONGC, he told The Morung Express that the Chairman of the Changpang Village Council was flouting rules. However, he also added that “the door is always open for discussion.”
