Consultative meeting on crucial issues

After an extensive consultative meeting with all tribal hohos, civil society organizations of Nagaland including legislators and officials Tuesday at the state banquet hall of the chief minister’s residential complex , the state government has restated its position with regard to crucial issues such as-oil and natural gas exploration and production along the Assam-Nagaland Disputed Area Belt(DAB), polls to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) and the Village and Tribal Councils Act of 1978.
Though no resolution was made, the government is expected to take steps forward after considering various suggestions made at the meeting. Power and Parliamentary Affairs minister KG Kenye and Adviser I&PR and soil conservation, Imkong L. Imchen and principal secretary home Abhijit Sinha jointly addressed the media at the Secretariat Conference Hall after the closed-door meeting.
Kenye described the meeting as “very frank discussion spoken from heart to heart and fruitful”. He claimed that everyone at the meeting was enthusiastic and serious about the issues that were being discussed. He said the meeting aimed at gauging opinions of various stakeholders on these issues, adding that their suggestions were taken into account.
OIL: On the crucial issue of oil exploration at the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along Assam-Nagaland border, Imchen reiterated that the state government has not signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Assam, as reported in the media. Imchen clarified that there had been no proposal from any quarter on royalty a 50:50 royalty sharing between Assam and Nagaland.
He however disclosed that a breakthrough had been achieved with intervention from the Union Home Ministry and royalty sharing on 50:50 basis had been agreed in principle as per chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s proposal and that the government was working on a mechanism in this regard.
He pointed out that Rio had made it clear that there was no question of a MoU with Central or Assam government.
Minister K.G. Kenye maintained that the government, at the meeting, made an extensive presentation on its background since the early 1970s upto the last attempt by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd in Wokha district. He said the department of Geology and Mining made a powerpoint presentation on the current status of mineral wealth, especially oil and natural gas.
He said the legal battles facing the state and what was exactly happening in the DAB and the prospect of their resolution, etc, were also shared at the meeting.
Principal secretary home, Abhijit Sinha said that although the facts on oil and gas operations had been presented, many were not fully aware as to how the government was going about on the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU). Sinha said that the MoU has not been executed yet as the process of consultations was on to arrive at an agreement how frame the MoU.
Sinha also said the legal battles that the State had faced on border dispute and what exactly was happening in the DAB and the prospect of their resolution, etc, were also shared at the meeting.
RIIN: With regard to Banuo Commission on RIIN, which had already tabled its report in 2019, Kenye said the government was seeking the opinion of the people as a whole on the report.
Principal secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha made a power point presentation on why RIIN was necessary and how to go about.
Joining the discussion, Sinha said concerned department of the issues that were discussed gave power point presentations of their respective subjects.
He pointed out that RIIN committee had been constituted for some time now and recommendations given by the committee were also being deliberated with the tribal bodies and that the consultations were now over. He said the government had “almost” finalised on what step it would be taking next.
Sinha said the government would soon be issuing a draft notification for the indigenous certificate. He pointed out that the certificate would be issued only to the 15 Naga tribes and other 4 including, Kuki, Garo, Mikhir and Kachari who had settled in Nagaland before the Statehood day. Those people who had settled in Nagaland before 1963 would be eligible to obtain Permanent Residential Certificate.
Adviser I&PR and soil conservation Imkong L. Imchen while referring to RIIN, pointed out that there were people who had settled at Dimapur even before Statehood and whine it was still not under Tribal Belt till 1979.
Acknowledging that there were some illegal immigrants, he asserted that there were also genuine Indian citizens who had contributed towards the growth of the city.
“And even though there were only around 100 families, if we ignore them, we will be doing them injustice,” he stated. Imchen said because of this compelling nature, there was a need to have two datelines (cut off years– December 1,1963 and November 21,1979).
Meanwhile, Kenye mentioned that there were different categories of people and accordingly there would be categories when ILP provisions would be imposed. Since there could not be two cut-off dates, there would be provision under the cut-off date, he said.
ULB issue: Kenye said that the government has obtained the endorsement of people following the repeal of the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2011 vis-à-vis Urban Local Body elections. “They have urged the government to form a panel (framing of new Municipal act) at the earliest,” he said.
Asked on what provisions the municipal council of Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung were functioning when the Act has been repealed, Sinha said the administrators can still function as it has been as per the provisions the ULBs.
On Village and Tribal Councils Act of 1978, Sinha said those acts were very old and had been in practice from even before 1978 in other form which was repealed and a fresh act was made.
He said village councils had been the most important customary bodies in Nagaland they have been there even before the Statehood. He said the act provides detail provisions on how to constitute and how to run.
He said though the law were clear enough, since people were not reading it properly or people being unaware of it existence, there had been instances where decisions were taken in such a manner which was weakening the traditional nature of these bodies.
He pointed out that the meeting was fruitful and a broad consensus had been arrived at.
Earlier at the consultative meeting, chief minister Neiphiu Rio delivered the keynote address and concluding remarks, while the opening remarks were delivered by deputy chief ministers– Y Patton and TR Zeliang.
Nagaland’s advocate general KN Balgopal briefed the gathering on ULBs, while Geology & Mining commissioner & secretary K Libanthung Lotha briefed on oil and natural gas exploration.
Various representatives from tribal hohos and CSOs also shared their views pertaining to the agenda.