Dimapur, April 16 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland is understood to have issued a notice to Champang Village Council demanding explanation from the council for ‘undermining’ governmental protocol as well as for ‘undermining’ the grant of license to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for exploration of crude oil in Champang.
The state government issued the ‘explanation-notice’ on observing that the council was undermining the government’s license issued to the ONGC, by engaging in activities unauthorized to village councils, sources said. The village’s council is reported to be illegally issuing and ‘granting’ land permits, “business permits” and issuances for exploration of oil in Champang to the corporation, including ONGC. The crude oil-rich division of Champang is under Wokha, district bordering Assam.
Details of when the date the ‘explanation-notice’ was issued to the council or whether or not the notice has been received could not be made available till filing of this news report. However, it is confirmed that the notice has already been issued demanding that the council offer explanations on why resource permits – not authorized to village councils – are being “granted,” contravening government protocol. The mining license granted to the ONGC by the Nagaland government is also being contravened with the Champang council acting arbitrarily and ‘censoring’ the corporation to go ahead with the explorations, highly-placed sources in the government said.
When contacted over the report, Additional Chief Secretary, Lalthara, IAS, confirmed that a notice has been issued to CVC to “explain why the government (is being undermined).” While expressing ignorance whether or not the ‘explanation-notice’ has reached the CVC, Lalthara however said the notice would be issued through the Home department and then to the Deputy Commissioner. In this case, the Deputy Commissioner of Wokha would be issuing the notice if the same has been dispatched.
“They cannot do this. The government issued the mining license and how can a council question it” he said. Lalthara, also Development Commissioner and heading the Geology & Mining department, said that the CVC is “not inclined” to let the ONGC explore the crude oil reservoirs but rather they are attempting to “do it themselves.” When queried on the reports of unauthorized issuance of “business permits, “exploration permits” and “land permits” to the ONGC by the Champang council, Lalthara replied in affirmative. “They are flouting all government rules” the ACS said while expressing cognizance of the matter where the council is reportedly engaged in the unauthorized activities. He also said that the CVC has “pending demands,” and for these, it is understood to be acting independently in reaction to the state government’s not acceding to the demands forwarded. He did not disclose what the demands of the CVC were.
The ACS, however, said that the ‘door of discussions are always open’ to sort out the issue.
Another senior state official also said that “They (CVC) are not supposed to say anything (in regard to the granting of license).” “When they do all these sort of things (unauthorized issuances) nobody will come and big companies and investors are discouraged. They are not giving the green signal” the state official said.
Despite repeated attempts to contact them, neither the DC of Wokha nor the CVC chairman Longshithung Kithan could be reached for comment.
Mention may be made here that the state government had issued a mining license to the ONGC recently for oil-explorations. However, the CVC on April 6 last, issued a statement censoring all petroleum-related activity in the area. The ONGC is also in agreement with Canada’s Canoro Resources to explore cured-oil in Nagaland.
