Nagaland CM raises objection on auctioning of oil blocks by Centre
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Dimapur, September 21 2015:
Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has reiterated that auctioning of oil blocks by the Government of India would have an "adverse impact" on the Naga peace process and requested the Centre to reconsider its decision to auction oil blocks located in Nagaland.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Zeliang quoted 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.
The letter reminded that 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 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, said Zeliang.
He also said 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" .
Zeliang said 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.
He requested the Union Minister to consider the matter and exclude the oil blocks in Nagaland from the purview of the proposed competitive bidding.