Shackled with concepts

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio addressed concerns over oil operations in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) shared with Assam. He stated that the Government of India, Home Ministry, and Assam government have agreed to begin oil exploration with Nagaland in the DAB, with a 50-50 royalty sharing arrangement. For areas lacking clarity, royalties will be held in an escrow account until resolution. Rio criticized neutral forces in the DAB for bias against Nagaland’s interests. Some in Nagaland object to the proposal on the ground that they risk legitimizing an unresolved border dispute. Nagaland contests the 1925 British notification, which transferred significant lands which traditionally belonged to Naga tribe Assam, and insists on resolving the boundary issue before proceeding with such activities. In 1972, the Government of Nagaland granted the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd. permission to explore and extract crude oil on an experimental basis, allowing the extraction of approximately 18 kilotons. By 1981, ONGC commenced full-scale operations in Changpang and Old Tssori in Wokha district, extracting 1.02 million metric tons of crude between 1981 and 1994-over ten times the initially permitted quantity. Nagaland possesses significant natural resources, including an estimated 650 million tonnes of crude oil and gas reserves, which could drive economic transformation. These natural resources are valued at approximately ₹25,20,000 crore, holds immense economic potential. Significant reserves are located in the Patkai ranges, Changpang, Tssori, Singphan, Geleki, Tzürangkong, Chümoukedima, and Jalukie, among others. Tzürangkong alone is estimated to hold 60-70 million metric tons, surpassing Changpang and Tssori. Changpang and Tssori in Wokha district alone hold over 50 million tonnes of proven crude oil reserves, while Mokokchung, Mon, and Peren districts account for an estimated 600 million tonnes. These reserves offer immense potential to boost revenue for the cash-strapped state. In addition, Nagaland has 315 million tonnes of coal and 1,038 million tonnes of limestone reserves. However, global projections indicate that global fossil fuels may deplete in 51 years, coal in 114 years, and natural gas in 53 years, which underline the need for sustainable resource management. Despite Nagaland’s vast untapped resources, only 11% of its area has been explored, leaving nearly 90% unexplored. Meanwhile, ONGC has expanded operations in Assam, completing 39 oil fields, 27 of which are operational, including areas along the Assam-Nagaland border. Furthermore with new technology available with ONGC to extract oil horizontally, millions of tons of crude can be pumped out from Nagaland’s part of the DAB to Assam side. Former Lok Sabha MP Tokheho Yepthomi has raised concerns over Assam’s unchecked drilling in disputed border areas, particularly in the Geleki Reserved Forest, traditionally part of Naga territory but transferred to Assam in 1925. Assam’s actions, including de-reserving forest tracts for ONGC’s operations, have exacerbated tensions. The unresolved border dispute and Assam’s aggressive oil extraction, aided by advanced horizontal drilling technology, pose significant challenges for Nagaland. These developments highlight the urgent need for Nagaland to assert its rights under Article 371A and address the political and territorial issues hindering equitable resource utilization. To fast forward progress through tapping of natural resources, the state government should move ahead in a transparent manner since Naga villages welcome oil and coal operations all of which, if properly harnessed, will transform Nagaland’s economic landscape for generations to come.