Bonnie Konyak
Dimapur | March 18
Against the optimism of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to soon start oil exploration and production operations in Nagaland, the battle for the country’s largest crude oil producer may not be over anytime soon. Additional Chief Secretary, Nagaland Lalthara confirmed that officials from ONGC had visited the state last week and the state government had given the corporation a permanent license in place of the temporary one that had been issued earlier. Lalthara said that the project was more or less regularized but nothing had been finalized and so it was very difficult to say exactly when the work is to begin in Champang. The Additional Chief Secretary also added that there were still problems surrounding the oil exploration and production operations especially by the locals who were demanding a royalty of 5 percent. Lalthara explained that out of the State’s share of 20 percent the state government was willing to give the land owners 2 percent and an added one fourth of the additional 2 percent royalty that the Central government had agreed to give to Nagaland. He added that the ONGC might be required to work under security if the work is to start soon.
NSF President, Pushika Awomi, however, strongly condemned the state government’s signing of a petroleum mining lease with the ONGC without first clearing the internal issues of the people of Nagaland. The NSF president said that the government should come out in the open with clear and far-sighted document and not carry out such projects under wraps just to please a few sections of people. Pushika further said that the government should organize an open debate to settle the matter in a transparent manner and any MoUs between the ONGC and the state government should come through the people.
Morung Express News
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