Empowering Unity: Deputy CM Zeliang Champions Sustainable Revenue-Sharing over Intrusive Oil Exploration
Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang emphasized Nagaland’s opposition to Assam’s plans for oil exploration in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB), warning it could spark legal actions if land ownership is disputed. Speaking at a public function in Jalukie, Zeliang stressed that any incursions, even with clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, should be contested if the land belongs to Nagaland.
The contested DAB, which forms part of Assam’s claim within the Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, has been a point of contention in the ongoing border disagreement between the two states, currently under the Supreme Court’s adjudication. Though a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was reportedly discussed in April 2023 between the Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland, promising to share oil revenues equally, the formalization of such an agreement remains unclear.
Zeliang, however, highlighted the necessity of a third-party involvement, possibly the Union Home Ministry, to oversee any revenue-sharing arrangements to ensure mutual trust. As of July 2022, Assam operated eight oil fields in the DAB, but most drilling activities have been reportedly suspended.
On infrastructure, Zeliang addressed safety concerns on the Pagla Pahar stretch of NH 29, indicating that a project report on slope protection from a consultancy group is awaited, with plans to commence works by early this year. During the event, he inaugurated the Public Works Department Rest House in Jalukie, constructed at Rs 3.21 crore over two years, and underscored the importance of maintenance, suggesting privatization to prevent disrepair.
Accompanying him, Minister Bashangmongba Chang hailed the rest house as a testament to the government’s development commitment. Together, they underscored the criticality of infrastructure development and sustainable land resource management in advancing Nagaland’s socio-economic landscape.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/no-to-incursive-oil-exploration-yes-to-revenue-sharing-deputy-cm-zeliang
Category : Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2025-01-27 22:30:00
