Dimapur, July 30 (MExN): A former Nagaland minister today said the “opinion” of tribal organizations and public are required over Nagaland State Assembly’s resolution seeking greater control over the state’s natural resources. “If it is not done” there would be far-reaching ‘complications’ and “lot of litigation,” said Former Finance Minister TA Ngullie in a statement today.
The state assembly recently passed a resolution asserting the state government’s – “representing the people” – control and jurisdiction over natural resources, including minerals petroleum and natural gas.
The intention and the motive of the resolution for giving ‘due recognition to the ownership of land is appreciable,’ the former minister said. But Ngullie took particular note of the “sentence” of the resolution: ‘The state of Nagaland representing the people shall have the jurisdiction and regulation of development over minerals including petroleum and natural gas in term of usage shall to control in the matter exploration and development in the state which will include acquisition of minerals bearing areas, fixation of land compensation rate, land owner share in benefits or royalty arising out of extraction of minerals.’
“This very sentence appearing needs to be referred to all the tribal hohos and also elicit public opinion before the modalities shall be framed,” Ngullie said in his note.
According to him, it is not “the modality” framed by the Nagaland Government or by passing a resolution in the House. “It has to bring a Bill, subsidiary Bill –under Article 371 (A) and the Bill should be passed by the (NLA) and the Bill should be signed by the Governor of Nagaland, and approved by the President of India,” he said.
“If it is not done, there will be a lot of complication and lot of litigation to which the present constitutional provision stand. This case imply with traditional customary and social practices, from generation to generation. I am suggesting in a proper way to make it positive and practical,” Ngullie added.
