On Tuesday, 4th February, the apex body of Naga, Naga Hoho, urged the Nagaland and Assam governments to address the issue of oil explorations in disputed areas along the interstate border by signing an oil exploration and production pact. The group has urged the Neiphiu Rio-led Nagaland government to initiate oil and natural gas exploration in the state, stating that such a move would significantly boost Nagaland’s economy. However, they also demanded a halt on oil exploration in the area till such an agreement is reached.
The body highlighted the potential economic benefit and stated that the explorations in these areas must be compiled together. “Till such time, the Naga Hoho demands that all the oil activities which fall under Disturbed Area Belt must be stopped immediately,” the statement said. The Naga Hoho asserted that oil exploration and production licenses should be signed by both state governments.
The Naga Hoho body referred to Article 371 (A) of the Indian Constitution, which grants special provisions to the state of Nagaland, and said that the state has exclusive rights over its land and resources. It said that the Nagaland Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations, 2012, must be strengthened and that any oil exploration disputes must be approved by both the states, Nagaland and Assam. It further said that until any such agreement is reached, the oil-related activities in the Disturbed Area Belt (DAB) must be stopped.
The Naga Hoho also criticized the Nagaland government’s failure to remediate oil spills since extraction ended in 1994, citing environmental concerns. It noted that Nagaland had incurred substantial financial losses by failing to use its petroleum resources, which might have funded infrastructure, healthcare, and job possibilities. They have called for a well-defined roadmap to resume oil exploration at the earliest.
“This amount could have funded numerous infrastructural developments, factories, healthcare, education, and sports initiatives, ultimately transforming our state,” the statement read.
Reports suggest that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in the year 1994 stopped operations in the state due to local organizations and security concerns. Notably, in 2023, the Nagaland and the Assam governments held discussions over the resumption of oil exploration in the disputed border areas, but these initiatives faced opposition from Naga communities saying that no exploration should occur until the Naga political issue is resolved.
