NTC opposes MoU for oil exploration between Assam-Nagaland

Another concern that NTC raised is the defective Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations, 2012, and Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2012

The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has expressed serious concerns regarding Assam and Nagaland governments agreeing in principle to go for oil exploration in the disputed areas along the border of the two neighbouring states.

“Nagaland is endowed by Almighty God with rich mineral wealth. However, the huge mineral deposits and resources could not be explicitly explored and earn from our own internal resources towards self-sufficiency with one or the other reasons. Nagaland always remains peaceful on the border but it is the counterpart Assam that always disputes Nagaland with artificial boundary line and continues to annexe towards Naga land,” said NTC in a statement.

The NTC further said that the historical and traditional/ancestral boundary of Nagaland is well beyond the current claim of Assam and needs to be reclaimed right away based on the 1875 boundary demarcation of the Naga Hills District of Assam.

In this regard, the NTC referred to point 12 of the 16-Point Agreement of 1960 and urged the Nagaland government to first resolve the boundary issues with Assam before thinking of Oil exploration.

Another concern that NTC raised is the defective Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations, 2012, and Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2012.

The NTC said that in accordance with the NP&NG Rules & Regulations, the beneficiaries’ rights, privileges, and revenue-sharing, including their employment in the affected landowners’ territories and blocks, have been deprived off.

Therefore, the Lotha Hoho, the first affected tribe, filed a PIL before the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench after the court’s failure to respond to the people’s cries for rectification. However, the government of Nagaland persuaded the Lotha Hoho to withdraw the PIL and signed MoU on 20th November 2018 assuring a solution within six months. Later, it became a Suo Moto case in the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench that is lying unresolved till today, added NTC.

The NTC urged the government to resolve the Suo Moto case in the High Court, before any other ultra vires come in, finalise the case and fix the flawed regulations and rules before wishing for oil exploration.

Furthermore, NTC expressed disbelief as to why “Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio rushed to the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and agreed in principle to go ahead with oil exploration in areas along their disputed boundaries without the consent of the stakeholders thus confirming as disputed border areas ourselves.”

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