Oil extraction at Kolapani; Nagaland opposes ONGC operations

KOHIMA, March 26: Nagaland has taken up the issue of oil extraction by ONGC from the Assam-Nagaland border with the Centre and ONGC, Chief Minister SC Jamir recently said, reports PTI. Replying to discussions on Budget for 2001-02, Jamir told the Assembly that it was true that oil from Kolapani area under the 'disputed' belt was being extracted by ONGC with permission only from Assam government. "Our position has been that revenue should not go only to Assam and a tripartite meeting involving both the State governments and the Government of India be convened early to sort out the problem," the Chief Minister asserted. He also told the House that recently, when an ONGC team came to Kohima to discuss various issues relating to its activities in prospective oil fields in Nagaland, this issue was brought to their notice and they have assured the State government that "expeditious solution" would be worked out. Oil explorations: Meanwhile, State Geology and Mining Department in its annual report, tabled in the Assembly, said ONGC had so far drilled 30 exploratory oil wells at Changapaang area under Wokha district of Nagaland. Out of which, nine wells were producing oil on trial basis, but had been suspended since 1994. The report says four exploratory oil wells at Chumukedima in Dimapur district and one at Changki under Mokokchung district were drilled by ONGC, but these wells had not yielded positive results. The Corporation has so far extracted about 10.22 lakh tonne of crude from March 1989 to May 1994, and royalty of Rs 33,83 crore was paid by the oil major to the state government. The report says the department is trying to reactivate oil production activities in Nagaland under new terms and conditions. Kolapani, where oil production activities were on, lies in the 'disputed' belt between Wokha (Nagaland) and Golaghat (Assam) districts.