Dimapur, December 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Government has declared illegal, and has nullified, the number of permits issued by the Champang Village Council chairman for oil explorations in Champang. The government has also ordered a reminder that village councils have no such power to issue authorization of commercial mineral resources in any way. According to the Home Commissioner Sentiyanger Imchen, Champang Village Council’s chairman Longshithung Kithan had issued permission to a so-called All Lotha Resource management Co-operative for exploration, mining, production and commercial sale of crude oil and other associated minerals. A show-cause notice was then issued to the chairman through the Deputy Commissioner of Wokha on September 24 this year to explain the permission granted.
The response of the chairman to the show-cause notice was examined and the permission granted to the All Lotha Resource management Co-operative was found to be in contravention of the rules laid down in the Oil Fields (Regulation & Development) Act 1948 and the Nagaland (Ownership & Transfer of Land and Resources) Act 1990.
“Moreover, section 12 of the Nagaland Village and Area Councils Act 1978, which defines powers and duties of the village council, does not empower the chairman or the village council to acquire land and its resources and transfer it or issue mining lease or issue No-objection Certificate for exploration, mining and commercial sale or transfer of mineral resources” stated Home Commissioner Imchen. Over these points, the permission granted by the said village council’s chairman has been declared illegal and against rules laid down and in existence. For this reason, the said permits have been declared cancelled, the Home Commissioner informed.
