Nagaland: Consultative meeting on oil exploration pointless, says UNTABA

Dimapur: The United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) has claimed that the proposed consultative meeting to deliberate matters pertaining to “oil and gas exploration and production” in the ‘disputed area belts’ with Assam is a futile exercise and nothing productive is expected from it.

The state government has convened a consultative meeting to discuss matters including ULB, oil exploration and Nagaland village And Tribal Councils Act 1978, at the State Banquet Hall today, May 9.

“As appraised on various occasions through print and electronic media, until and unless the boundary issue between the two states (Nagaland and Assam) is settled once and for all, no exploration and drilling for petroleum resources can be undertaken. Besides, the boundary issue is a subjudiced matter since the Civil Suit No.2 of 1988 filed by Government of Assam in the Supreme Court of India is still pending for more than 35 years now,” read the press statement, adding the two state governments have agreed to resolve the issue outside the court.

Citing this, the UNTABA has urged the state government to persuade Assam government to consider withdrawal of the Civil Suit and pursue the issue based on “practical realities”.