OIL India LTD slammed for allegedly 'trying to evict Chakmas & Deoris' in Arunachal

NEW DELHI: Releasing the Fact-Finding Report on visit to Moddak Nallah Village, Diyun Circle, Arunachal Pradesh, regarding eviction of the Chakmas for oil drilling by Oil India Ltd, the Chakma and Hajongs Elders Forum (CHEF) condemned the oil major for allegedly trying to evict the Chakmas and Deoris without consulting the victims from Mudokka Nallah and Sompoi-II villages.

The fact finding team interviewed 13 potential victims of eviction at Mudokka Nallah village and held further meetings with the villagers following COVID-19 protocols.

The CHEF fact finding report expressed serious concerns about the meeting conducted on January 17 at 11.00 hours in the Officer Chamber of the EAC, Diyun for a preliminary discussion to work out solution for implementing the Oil drilling works at the location KUP and KUL under Ningru PML at Village Sompoi-II and Mudokka Nallah.

“In the said meeting, all but the project affected persons of Muddoka Nallah village were not invited. The Chakmas invited by the EAC of Diyun do not reside or belong to Mudokka Nallah and Sompoi-II villages and they are not project affected persons. Further, Mr Dilip Kumar Chakma, a resident of Dhumpani who was invited to the meeting cannot certify about the status of the village or the rights and contentions of the project affected persons,” stated the CHEF report.

The CHEF Fact-Finding Team noted that there are clear attempts by the State government of Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of Petroleum and Gas and the Oil India Ltd to avoid acquisition of the lands from the owners who are also the current occupants under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act).

In its recommendations, the CHEF urged the local authorities and the Oil India Ltd to stop any engagement with persons who are neither affected persons nor residents of the Moddoka Nallah village and ensure that proper proceedings under the LARR Act be initiated should there be any requirement for acquisition of lands of any persons.

Earlier, the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) filed a complaint (1241/IN/2022) with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the denial of compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act) to the Chakma residents of Mudokka Nallah village and the Deori residents of Sompoi-II village in Diyun circle of Changlang district by the Oil India Ltd (OIL).

In a press release, the CDFI said that the two communities are being displaced for “oil drilling works at the location KUP and KUL under Nigru PML, owned by the OIL.”

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