Dimapur | September 12 : The Gauhati High Court has directed motion counsels representing two oil-spill affected villages in Nagaland, to issue notices to the Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and a number of departments of the government of India and Nagaland.
The Gauhati High Court held a hearing for admission of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) today, Monday September 12, filed against the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, the Basin Manager of ONGC, Cinnamara in Jorhat, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, the State of Nagaland, the Nagaland Geology and Mining Department, Nagaland Forest Department, the Nagaland State Pollution Control Board and the Union of India represented by the Ministry of Petroleum and another, the Natural Gas and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The PIL was filed by Mhonlumo Kikon and others, representing Changpang village and Tssori village in Wokha district of Nagaland against the crude oil giant and the governments. In the PIL the two villages – Nagaland’s only two areas rich in crude petroleum – have sought at least Rs. 1, 000 Crore as consolidated compensation to the villagers for environmental, agricultural and economic damage allegedly caused by the about-16 years of unabated oil spillage from the ONGC’s abandoned oil rigs.
Sources informed tonight that the HC court heard the PIL and directed the counsels of the petitioners to issue notices to the stated respondents. Picking up the case, sources informed that the High Court would be holding the next hearing somewhere in the first week of November this year.
The matter was heard in the court of the Chief Justice and Justice Meruno in the Guwahati High Court, the sources said. As reported earlier in The Morung Express, the demands stated in the PIL are several.
For instance, the petitioners are seeking Rs. 1, 000 Crore compensation for the affected villagers, criminal proceedings against ONGC and government officials and departments, clearing the affected area of spilt oil; court order against any negotiation, understanding or permission with the ONGC or other companies (Indian and foreign) working on oil exploration, extraction or production to explore, extract oil in the state of Nagaland till the issue of oil spill affected area is redressed.
The Gauhati High Court held a hearing for admission of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) today, Monday September 12, filed against the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, the Basin Manager of ONGC, Cinnamara in Jorhat, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, the State of Nagaland, the Nagaland Geology and Mining Department, Nagaland Forest Department, the Nagaland State Pollution Control Board and the Union of India represented by the Ministry of Petroleum and another, the Natural Gas and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The PIL was filed by Mhonlumo Kikon and others, representing Changpang village and Tssori village in Wokha district of Nagaland against the crude oil giant and the governments. In the PIL the two villages – Nagaland’s only two areas rich in crude petroleum – have sought at least Rs. 1, 000 Crore as consolidated compensation to the villagers for environmental, agricultural and economic damage allegedly caused by the about-16 years of unabated oil spillage from the ONGC’s abandoned oil rigs.
Sources informed tonight that the HC court heard the PIL and directed the counsels of the petitioners to issue notices to the stated respondents. Picking up the case, sources informed that the High Court would be holding the next hearing somewhere in the first week of November this year.
The matter was heard in the court of the Chief Justice and Justice Meruno in the Guwahati High Court, the sources said. As reported earlier in The Morung Express, the demands stated in the PIL are several.
For instance, the petitioners are seeking Rs. 1, 000 Crore compensation for the affected villagers, criminal proceedings against ONGC and government officials and departments, clearing the affected area of spilt oil; court order against any negotiation, understanding or permission with the ONGC or other companies (Indian and foreign) working on oil exploration, extraction or production to explore, extract oil in the state of Nagaland till the issue of oil spill affected area is redressed.
Crude oil seepage hits Naga villages
Changpang (Nagaland), September 11 (HINDUSTAN TIMES): Sitting on one of India’s richest hydrocarbon reserves can be uncomfortable. Around 3,000 people of Changpang, Tssori and a few nearby villages in Nagaland’s Wokha district have learnt it the hard way. Crude oil seepage from abandoned wells for 17 years has hit the soil and groundwater and consequently, people’s health and the local economy.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) struck oil in the area in 1981 and began extracting crude from 11 wells. But the locals and militant groups questioned the agreement between the state and ONGC, alleging that the mandatory consent of local bodies was not taken.
In March 1994, the state had to stop the operations, despite earning a royalty of R33.3 crore since March 1981. ONGC capped the wells, but lack of maintenance and tampering of the equipment by miscreants led to seepage.
In August 2010, state geology and mining director HK Chishi reported “heavy spillage” and the state pollution control board marked 4sqkm as affected. The state asked ONGC to clean up the mess, which offered to send a team. But a cabinet sub-committee objected, saying they hadn’t received “all the correspondence between the mining department and ONGC”.
“No one seems sincere about solving the problem,” said M Yanathung Ngullie, president of Changpang Land Owners’ Union. “The local economy, which depended on traditional jhum cultivation (which involves slashing and burning vegetation on hill slopes), has gone for a toss. With all the seepage, people are scared of wildfire.”
Many are complaining of eye burning and uterus and kidney complications, which were unheard of earlier, he said. “And in these 17 years, indigenous plants have been swamped by species like lantana and mimosa which, ecologists say, are a precursor to desertification.”
Changpang gaonburah (village chieftain) Myingthungo N Kithan, 50, is fed up with appealing to the government. “I have asked the government to erase Changpang from the map if it cannot help us,” he said. State chief secretary Lalthara said: “The matter has been referred to a cabinet subcommittee.”
Dice Foundation, a Kohima-based NGO, has filed a PIL at Gauhati high court. The case will be heard on Monday. “We have sought compensation of R1,000crore. We hope justice is done,” said Mmhonlumo Kikon, chief of the NGO.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) struck oil in the area in 1981 and began extracting crude from 11 wells. But the locals and militant groups questioned the agreement between the state and ONGC, alleging that the mandatory consent of local bodies was not taken.
In March 1994, the state had to stop the operations, despite earning a royalty of R33.3 crore since March 1981. ONGC capped the wells, but lack of maintenance and tampering of the equipment by miscreants led to seepage.
In August 2010, state geology and mining director HK Chishi reported “heavy spillage” and the state pollution control board marked 4sqkm as affected. The state asked ONGC to clean up the mess, which offered to send a team. But a cabinet sub-committee objected, saying they hadn’t received “all the correspondence between the mining department and ONGC”.
“No one seems sincere about solving the problem,” said M Yanathung Ngullie, president of Changpang Land Owners’ Union. “The local economy, which depended on traditional jhum cultivation (which involves slashing and burning vegetation on hill slopes), has gone for a toss. With all the seepage, people are scared of wildfire.”
Many are complaining of eye burning and uterus and kidney complications, which were unheard of earlier, he said. “And in these 17 years, indigenous plants have been swamped by species like lantana and mimosa which, ecologists say, are a precursor to desertification.”
Changpang gaonburah (village chieftain) Myingthungo N Kithan, 50, is fed up with appealing to the government. “I have asked the government to erase Changpang from the map if it cannot help us,” he said. State chief secretary Lalthara said: “The matter has been referred to a cabinet subcommittee.”
Dice Foundation, a Kohima-based NGO, has filed a PIL at Gauhati high court. The case will be heard on Monday. “We have sought compensation of R1,000crore. We hope justice is done,” said Mmhonlumo Kikon, chief of the NGO.
