Nagaland: All Ward Union Mokokchung Town rejects CGWA order

Dimapur, Aug. 23 (EMN): The All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) has demanded the government of Nagaland to declare the recent public notice issued by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), Ministry of Jal Shakti, government of India, “unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void.”

AWUMT in press release termed the CGWA’s order contained in the public notice a “total contravention of traditional Naga customary procedures, social practices and ownership of land and its resources, and that it directly infringes upon the constitutional provisions of Article 371 (A) that safeguards the Naga way of life.”

It may be mentioned the public notice stated that all the ground water users whether existing or new in states including Nagaland are “required to take permission for groundwater withdrawal from CGWA.”

AWUMT also reminded that it has been the long-standing demand of the Dimapur Urban Council Chairmen Federation (DUCCF), Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP), the All Ward Union Mokokchung Town (AWUMT) and Naga civil society organisations to review and amend the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 by deleting various sections of the Act that infringes upon the constitutional rights of the Naga people as enshrined in Article 371(A).

“At this instance, AWUMT would like to point out that Sections 215 – 220 of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 pertaining to tube wells, wells, springs and other water-course infringes upon Article 371 (A) of the Constitution,” it stated.

Further, AWUMT directed all the residents of Mokokchung town not to honour the public notice issued by the Central Ground Water Authority saying, “it is against Article 371 (A) of the Constitution.”