Dimapur, May 8 (MExN): Nagaland’s Cabinet Sub-Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas has appealed for “patience” from ‘stakeholders and the public’ who have been demanding early completion of the modalities the committee is preparing, for resumption of oil exploration activities in the state. The committee issued a statement today noting the ‘anxiousness’ of the Kyong organizations, some of which are readying agitations.
The “process has to be duly complied” to ensure there are no impediments as has been experienced in the past, the committee’s statement said. The statement was appended by member secretary of the committee HK Khulu, IAS.
The Cabinet committee states – “The Cabinet Sub Committee appreciates the anxiousness of the stakeholders and the public for early resumptions of economic activity. However the process has to be duly complied in order that there are no impediments as has been the experience in the past. Therefore, the Cabinet Sub Committee appeals to all stakeholders including Kyong Students’ Union and the public in general to be a little more patient in the larger interest of all and to desist from resorting to agitations which would not be conducive for economic development in the State.”
According to the statement, the committee has been able to pilot the Resolution on Article 371 (A) in the Legislative Assembly which makes all previously applicable laws including those of the Acts of Parliament redundant.
The committee is in the process of bringing out modalities which will be uniformly applicable through out Nagaland state, the committee said. “This would therefore require careful handling in order to avoid repeating past mistakes.”
The committee informs that legal consultants and “techno-economic consultants of global competence” have been appointed and “mandated to submit the draft modalities within 45 days which is due in the second week of May 2012 as far as the techno- economic advice is concerned.”
Even after submission and acceptance of the draft, however, the committee explained, there will have to be processes for legalizing the modalities after necessary public consultation and due government processes.
