Nagaland Cabinet reviews oil exploration, Foothill Road and disaster response

The Nagaland Cabinet has reviewed issues related to oil exploration along the Assam-Nagaland border, landowners’ rights, the proposed Foothill Road and the state’s response to floods and landslides, Minister Temjen Imna Along said on Monday, August 10.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a BJP programme in Kohima, Along said the Cabinet meeting held in Wokha on August 6 was “historic” and several key decisions were taken.

On oil exploration along the Assam-Nagaland border, Along said the government would ensure that the rights and concerns of landowners and other affected stakeholders were addressed.

“The Cabinet is of the view that all concerns have to be addressed in every way,” he said.

His remarks come amid demands from civil society organisations for consultations with affected villages and stakeholders before exploration activities are undertaken.

Referring to concerns raised by the Central Nagaland Tribes Council, Along said stakeholders in the border areas affected by oil exploration would have to be taken into consideration.

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Centre, Assam and Nagaland in New Delhi on June 11 to facilitate mineral-oil operations, including exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, in the Assam-Nagaland border areas.

The Cabinet also discussed the proposed Foothill Road, with Along saying that discussions with the Centre and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways were held on the project.

The minister referred to the ongoing discussions over proposed road widths of 30 metres, 18 metres and 12 metres, describing the Foothill Road as a potential lifeline for Nagaland’s economic resurgence.

The Cabinet also reviewed the flood and landslide situation in the state. Along said the immediate priority was to help affected people return to normal life.

“Politics is one thing,” he said, stressing that the government had a responsibility to help people affected by the disasters get back on their feet.

Several areas, including Mon, Tuli and parts of Tuensang, have been badly affected by landslides and house collapses, with loss of lives reported, he said.

The adverse weather has also disrupted education in several areas. Along said the government was working to restore normalcy and minimise the impact on academic sessions.

“We cannot fight against nature,” he said, adding that greater preparedness and mitigation measures were needed to reduce the impact of similar disasters in the future.