Members of the cabinet sub-committee (natural gas and oil exploration) including convener TR Zeliang, inspecting an abandoned oil well in Changpang area, under Wokha district, on Saturday.
Wokha | January 8 : The Nagaland Cabinet’s sub-committee on natural gas and oil exploration headed by Planning & Coordination minister TR Zeliang today visited Changpang oil fields, under Wokha district. The visit is part of the sub-committee’s task to work out “modalities” for resumption of oil extraction in Changpang area, which was halted 17 years ago under pressure from the Naga organizations.
The high level committee consists of Zeliang as convener and members including Minister for Power Doshehe Sema, Parliamentary Secretary for Geology & Mining Yanthungo Patton, and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Dako Phom and member-secretary HK Khullu. The committee members toured the area and also interacted with the villagers.
Minister for Agriculture Dr. Chumben Murry, Power minister Doshehe Sema, deputy speaker of Nagaland Assembly Ralanthung Yanthan, Parliamentary Secretary for Home Guards W Kithan, Commissioner & Secretary, Horticulture, Geology & Mining Sentiyanger Imchen and other officials of the state Geology & Mining department also visited the oil fields.
In his address at a public gathering in Champang, Zeliang said that besides complaint of oil spillage in the Changpang oil wells, the main purpose of the maiden visit of the committee to Changpang was to take the views and opinions of the land owners and Changpang villagers.
He said the voice of the landowners and villagers would be taken into consideration during framing of the modalities for resumption of oil extraction. Zeliang said that the modalities would be later applied to other oil prospecting districts. Parliamentary Secretary Y Patton, who also addressed the gathering, said that as the villagers have agreed to abide by the decisions of the state government on the oil issue, the sub-committee would do its best to accommodate the interest of the landowners and villagers.
Patton also urged the administration, police and village authorities to ensure that no damage or theft of machineries of existing oil wells occur during the interim period. Representatives of the area including Lower Lotha Public Organization, Changpang Landowners’ Union, head GB of Old Tsori village and Changpang Students’ Union, in their speeches and representations, urged the sub-committee to expedite resumption of oil extraction in the area for welfare of the people and state as a whole.
According to the state Geology & Mining department, out of the 31 oil wells in Changpang area, 21 are oil-bearing, two-gas producing, five abandoned while three oil wells are incomplete. It may be mentioned that the first oil well in Changpang was inaugurated on a trail basis by then Minister for Geology & Mining late JB Jasokie in 1973. Commercial production started in 1982 before the operations were stopped in 1994 owing to pressure from Naga groups.
The high level committee consists of Zeliang as convener and members including Minister for Power Doshehe Sema, Parliamentary Secretary for Geology & Mining Yanthungo Patton, and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Dako Phom and member-secretary HK Khullu. The committee members toured the area and also interacted with the villagers.
Minister for Agriculture Dr. Chumben Murry, Power minister Doshehe Sema, deputy speaker of Nagaland Assembly Ralanthung Yanthan, Parliamentary Secretary for Home Guards W Kithan, Commissioner & Secretary, Horticulture, Geology & Mining Sentiyanger Imchen and other officials of the state Geology & Mining department also visited the oil fields.
In his address at a public gathering in Champang, Zeliang said that besides complaint of oil spillage in the Changpang oil wells, the main purpose of the maiden visit of the committee to Changpang was to take the views and opinions of the land owners and Changpang villagers.
He said the voice of the landowners and villagers would be taken into consideration during framing of the modalities for resumption of oil extraction. Zeliang said that the modalities would be later applied to other oil prospecting districts. Parliamentary Secretary Y Patton, who also addressed the gathering, said that as the villagers have agreed to abide by the decisions of the state government on the oil issue, the sub-committee would do its best to accommodate the interest of the landowners and villagers.
Patton also urged the administration, police and village authorities to ensure that no damage or theft of machineries of existing oil wells occur during the interim period. Representatives of the area including Lower Lotha Public Organization, Changpang Landowners’ Union, head GB of Old Tsori village and Changpang Students’ Union, in their speeches and representations, urged the sub-committee to expedite resumption of oil extraction in the area for welfare of the people and state as a whole.
According to the state Geology & Mining department, out of the 31 oil wells in Changpang area, 21 are oil-bearing, two-gas producing, five abandoned while three oil wells are incomplete. It may be mentioned that the first oil well in Changpang was inaugurated on a trail basis by then Minister for Geology & Mining late JB Jasokie in 1973. Commercial production started in 1982 before the operations were stopped in 1994 owing to pressure from Naga groups.
