Dimapur, September 7 (MExN): The Guwahati High Court has directed the State Government to direct the Commissioner Secretary, Health & Family Welfare to conduct a ‘health Impact study at Tssori and Changpang village in Wokha district to assess the damage done by the crude petroleum spill. The State government is asked to submit a report within two months.
Reliable sources informed of the court proceedings in Guwahati today. Also, according to the source, a lawyer representing the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation has said that the ONGC could not conduct any operations or clean the oil spill since they receive threats from the NSCN and other insurgents. The ONGC fears that their engineers would be killed if they operate in Changpang, the source said.
This information has been submitted in their affidavit to the court, it was informed.
Further, it was informed that the court asked the Nagaland government to take action ‘on the defaulting party’ and report about the steps the government is taking. The Nagaland State Government’s Public Prosecutor is said to have responded by saying that they had recently sanctioned a sum of 60 Lakhs to fence the oil spill areas. To the answer, the presiding judge replied that ‘why after 17 years and not when oil spill actually started.’ The statements could not be confirmed at the time of filing this news report.
The judge also reportedly directed ONGC and Nagaland Government to be ready to compensate the affected villagers.
