Dimapur, July 5 (EMN): Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) which had earlier called for resumption of oil exploration and extraction in Nagaland, held consultative meetings with various Lotha based organisations and discussed exploration of oil, foothill road and Naga solution.
Media cell of CNTC in a press release stated that on June 29 last, it held a consultative meeting with Lotha Hoho at Wokha, followed by an interactive meeting with the Lotha Lower Range Public Organisation (LLRPO), Bhandari Town Council, Lower Lotha Elders and Officers’ Forum, Lower Range GB association, Bhandari Town Women Hoho, Yamhon Area Public Organisation (YAPO) and Bhandari Town Students’ Union.
On June 30, CNTC also held another interactive meeting with Changpang Oil Field Owners in the presence of LLPRO, Lotha Hoho, Changpang Village Council members and members from Tssori Old on June 30. Apart from the meetings, CNTC along with the frontal Lotha organisations visited Changpang oil field to get first hand information on the problem faced by the oil bearing land owners, the release stated.
On oil exploration, CNTC president, T Lanu Imchen said the Lothas in particular are losing a lot due to non-exploration of oil from their land. Since CNTC can only act as a pressure group for resumption of oil operations, Imchen advised the oil bearing villages of Changpang and Tssori that whatever modalities agreed upon should be beneficial to the whole of Nagas.
Lotha Hoho chairman, Mhondamo Ovung, who chaired the consultative meeting at Wokha highlighted on the PIL filed by LH in 2018, and said the Hoho had withdrawn the PIL after written assurance by the Government of Nagaland to amend some rules and regulations in the ‘Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations/Rules.’
CNTC general secretary, Tsungrosan Kithan, gave a brief account on the oil issue and also highlighted CNTC’s recent interaction with the general manager of Oil India Limited (OIL). Kithan also requested the landowners to be aware of the content of the tripartite talks between the Government of India, Nagaland and Assam on oil exploration.
Chairman, Oil Bearing Union of Tssori and Changpang, John Kikon requested CNTC to ponder on Article 371 (A) and ways forward to utilise the said article for the benefits of Nagas.
Kikon said since the closure of oil extraction in 1994 till date, no NGOs, CSOs or the government had taken up any remedial measures to contain the oil spills which pose environmental hazards. He further said that for negotiation of oil royalty, the opinion of all Nagas should be consulted as Changpang and Tssori were not the sole oil bearing areas in Nagaland.
Earlier, in the interactive meeting between CNTC and Changpang Oil Field Owners, chairman Changpang ONGC, Nzanbemo Yanthan informed the house that a total of 31 oil wells were drilled by ONGC and out of which 21 wells were oil bearing and two were gas-bearing. He further alleged that all land encroachment by Assam took place after the discovery of oil in Changpang and Tssori areas.
On the present Naga political scenario, CNTC and LH reaffirmed the resolution of the 14 Naga Tribe that no tribal hoho should meet any Naga political group on its own on the Naga political issue. However, meeting with any political groups should be done jointly by all the 14 Naga tribes.
The LH chairman suggested that issues relating to Nagas should be initiated and decided by CNTC on behalf of the three tribes namely the Lothas, Aos and Sumis.
CNTC president lamented the exorbitant taxes levied by various Naga political groups ‘taking advantage of prolonged talks with the Government of India’. He said Nagas of Nagaland, Government of India and the negotiating NPGs should sign the final solution at the earliest.
Meanwhile, in the interactive meeting between CNTC and LLRPO and other organisations, CNTC president explained the formation and purpose of CNTC and stressed on the unity of the three tribes.
CNTC vice president, Hukiyie highlighted the council’s participation in the consultations called by the government of Nagaland on issues such as RIIN, ULB, NLTP Act, etc and Naga political issue and political governance in Nagaland.
On the Foothill Road, the CNTC president informed on the recent amount sanctioned by the government of Nagaland, and said the maintenance works were stopped for time being owing to unsuitable weather conditions but that they would resume when the weather gets favourable. He said the majority of the stretch of the Foothill Road lies under Wokha district and that Lothas have more to gain from the foothill road project.