Mail News Service
Imphal, Aug 29: The Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur (CPNRM) stated that the three public hearings organized by the Manipur Pollution Control Board, government of Manipur at Jiribam, Parbung and Nungba Town on 30th July, 8th and 17th August 2012 respectively for petroleum exploration, drilling and allied activities in Jiribam, Churachandpur and Tamenglong has been a complete failure as the indigenous communities to be affected by Petroleum Exploration in Manipur expressed strong objections to petroleum exploration and drilling by Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited, (JOGPL) a company based in Netherlands. CPNRM expressed gratitude to all communities for expressing their voices against petroleum exploration in Manipur.
It opposed filing of First Information Report (FIR) to communities objecting Petroleum exploration at Nungba on 17th August 2012.
There are serious violations and immense points of condemnations in inviting communities for environmental Public Hearing and later threatening them with arbitrary arrest and detention for expressing their rightful opinions. The filing of FIR only indicates that the Government of India, Govt of Manipur and the profit mongering JOGPL only insists on undemocratic and militaristic forms of development. Introduction of forcible means of development and relying on police and military to subdue the peoples voice will only infuriate the communities to resort to all means of possibilities to defend their land and resources and to stop all petroleum exploration.
As the communities fully expressed their opposition to the public hearings against Oil Exploration and drilling and allied activities in Manipur, the Government and Jubilant Energy should respect the wishes, sentiments and desire of the people to protect and defend their land for their present and coming generations and immediately halt all process for oil exploration and drilling and allied activities in Manipur. The Government of Manipur, JOGPL and the Government of India should abide by the official written declaration at the Nungba Public Hearing to cancel public hearing future public hearing on petroleum exploration for block 1& 2 once and for all in Manipur. The Committee would like to reiterate our opposition to the signing of Production Sharing Contracts, Petroleum Exploration License
Agreements between the Government of India, JOGPL and the Government of Manipur in 2010 without the knowledge and consent of indigenous peoples of Manipur. CPNRM will oppose any move of the Government to sell any resources and land of Manipur to any profit mongering groups.
The CPNRM would like to call upon the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the Jubiliant Energy to Stop all Oil and Gas Exploration, Drilling and allied activities in Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Jiribam in Manipur and also to Immediately withdraw the FIR and other cases lodged against communities attending the Nungba Public Hearing on 17th August 2012, failing which will invite stern mass communities actions from all communities for which the government of Manipur and India will be solely held responsible for any untoward incident said Pamei Tingenlung, Convenor.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cpnrm-opposes-oil-exploration-activities-in-manipur/
