EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 21
Nagaland Chief Minister, TR Zeliang has written a letter to the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan requesting him to “reconsider” the central government’s decision to auction oil blocks/fields in Nagaland.
According to a CMO press release on Monday, the letter was “delivered to him (Union Minsister) by the Principal Resident Commissioner this afternoon.” It also stated that Zeliang and the Parliamentary Secretary for Geology and Mining, Dr Imtiwapang Aier had stayed in New Delhi for a week seeking appointment with the Union Minister, “but had to return to Nagaland last Saturday since the Minister was said to be busy (sic) elections in Bihar.”
According to the press release, Zeliang had cited media reports “on the decision of the Government of India to put up for competitive bidding the 69 marginal oil fields which have been held by ONGC and OIL, but which have not been exploited” while pleading his case.
“It appears from these reports that there are a few oil blocks located in Nagaland which are included in this list of 69 oil fields to be opened for competitive bidding. As you are aware, the state of Nagaland has framed the Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations 2012 and the Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 2012 in accordance with Article 371-A(1) (a) of the Constitution of India.
“Under these rules and regulations, the government of Nagaland has already invited Expressions of Interest from interested oil companies, and is in the process of allocating the oil blocks in Nagaland. In view of this, it is felt that opening up oil fields located within Nagaland to competitive bidding by the government of India is not appropriate.”
Zeliang, according to the CMO, also stated that such a decision by the government of India “at this juncture” would have an adverse impact on the on-going peace negotiations to resolve the Naga political issue, which is in an advanced stage now.
“It is understood that that a clear definition of the subject matter relating to ownership of land and its resources in Nagaland as mentioned in Article 371 A of the Constitution of India is one of the key issues to be resolved in the Naga political dialogues. In view of the above, I would request you to kindly consider the matter and exclude the oil blocks in Nagaland from the purview of the proposed competitive bidding.”
