Test of statecraft

With oil and gas reserves estimated at 600 million tonnes (forecast) and valued at an astronomical figure of Rs.25,20,000 crore (approx)Nagaland sits atop a gold mine that has the potential of transforming the economic scenario for ages to come. Oil reserves in Nagaland occur in the Patkai ranges, Chanpang, Tssori (Wokha), Singphan (Mon), Geleki, Tzurankong (Mokokchung), Chumukedima (Dimapur),and Jalukie (Peren) among others. A vast estimated crude reserve of between 60 to 70 million metric tons are in Tzurangkong under Tuli bordering Wamaken and Amguri along the Geleki reserved forest, which is higher than that of Chanpang and Tssori. Since 1992, this newspaper had been commenting on the issue of oil exploration and extraction on several occasions in this column and as news item. In 1972 the government of Nagaland permitted Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd. to explore and extract around 18 kilotons of crude on experimental basis. ONGC began full-scale extraction from 1981 at oil well at Changpang and Old Tssori in Wokha district from where 1.02 million metric tons were extracted between 1981 and 1994. That means ONGC extracted at least ten times more than the quantity it was permitted to do on trial basis. The government of Nagaland stopped further ONGC operations in Nagaland in 1994 after protests from various quarters. Despite border dispute, the Assam government gone ahead and deserved some tracts of the disputed Geleki reserved forest within the traditional area of the Wamaken village. The Assam government handed it over the deserved forest to ONGC from where huge quantities of crude oil have been extracted. With new technology available with ONGC to extract oil horizontally, millions of tons of crude can be pumped out from Assam side. A large quantity of oil and gas reserves in Nagaland are located in areas which has been disputed by Assam. These areas fall well within Naga traditional land but transferred to Assam through the 1925 notification. When Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio met at Delhi on April 21, both agreed in principle to a joint oil operation along the Disputed Area Belt(DAB) and equal sharing of oil revenue. Though most people in Nagaland would welcome any economic activity that brings in huge revenue, the issue of unresolved border issue with Assam casts some shadow. Several organisations have not opposed oil explorations but logically, they would like the border issue to be resolved. This would also mean identifying the area which will come under Nagaland.Another section holds the view that the Naga political issue should be resolved before going ahead with oil operations. It must also be noted that a PIL is still under consideration of the Gauhati High Court on oil exploration under Wokha district. This too needs to be resolved. Therefore, on the basis of these factors, which appear as preconditions for oil operations, the plans by both Himanta Sarma and Neiphiu Rio seem like putting the cart before the horse. There have been enough consultations with various NGOs and CSOs and the government in recent past regarding oil operations and time has come to realise that time is running out. The elected government needs to develop statecraft in order guide the people and act in a transparent and decisive manner.