In a sharp criticism of the ruling government in Nagaland, former Lok Sabha MP and NDPP member Tokheho Yepthomi has raised serious concerns over unchecked oil exploration by Assam in areas claimed by Nagaland besides highlighting insincere efforts in providing land for developing Dimapur Airport and failure to take prompt action against encroachers at Dimapur Railway Station, both of which possess immense growth potential.
On the issue of oil extraction, Yepthomi recalled that when ONGC explored and extracted oil on experimental basis, Nagaland received `33.83 crores in oil royalties in 1994 at a rate of 15%, with an additional 3% under Article 371A.
He also said oil extraction was stalled due to internal disagreements and insistence of civil society opposition, to not allow outsiders from extraction of oil as land and its resources belong to the people by citing Article 371A. Yepthomi also said Naga political groups had also opposed oil extraction till Nagas gained independence.
Meanwhile, he said against such a scenario, Assam went to develop oil fields along the Assam-Nagaland border and has managed to set up four oil refineries such as : 1.Digboi with a capacity of .50 MMT(million metric ton) which was increased to 1.00 MMT per annum; 2. Guwahati refinery with a capacity of 1.00 MMT per annum which has also been enhanced to 2.00 MMT per annum and the 3.Bongaigon refinery with a capacity of 2.35 MMT per annum which has been increased to 5.00 MMT per annum;4. Numaligarh refinery set up as per Assam Accord in 1985 with a capacity of 3 MMT and recently increased to 9.00 MMT per annum and fully operational.
Yepthomi also said the initial production capacities of the four oil refineries was only 5.85 MMT per annum but increased to 17.00 MMT per annum. Yepthomi said the government of Assam in collaboration with the government of India, has been able to develop 19 oil fields in order to meet the demands of the four oil refineries, such as: Safrai (Charaideo district); Sonari (Charaideo); Charaideo (Charaideo & Sivasagar); Borsila, Changmaigaon, Charali, Disangmukh, Nazira, Panidihing, Rudrasagar, Demulgaon, Geleki, Kuragaon (Under Sivasagar), Lailinggaon (Sivasagar& Charaideo), :Lakwa (Charaideo) Mekeypore (Sivasagar), Nahorhabi (Charaideo),Namti (Sivasagar), North Geleki (Sivasagar), Tiphuk (Charaideo), Napamua (Sivasagar), Khoraghat (Golaghat), Nambar (Golaghat),East Lakhibari (Golaghat), Kasomarigaon (Golaghat), Babejia (Golaghat), Suphyam (golaghat), Sayalpur (Golaghat), Uriamghat (Golaghat), Phulani (Golaghat), Borhalla (Jorhat), Mekrang (Jorhat), Adamtilla (Karimganj), Banskandi (Cachar), Bhubandar (Cachar) and Badarpur (Hailakandi).
According to Yepthomi, four of the oil fields are located between Assam-Arunachal Pradesh ; one between Assam and Manipur at Churachandpur and seven inside Nagaland such as -Champang, Hozukhe, Khopanala, Toshezu and that it was likely oil was being extracted from Nikihe, Tokishe and Phishikhu oil fields.
Yepthomi said it has been 51 years since oil extraction has been ongoing along the Assam-Nagaland boundary and also inside Nagaland, which he attributed to the “unresolved Naga issue” as a result of which Assam has collected considerable oil revenue.
Yepthomi asked, if oil deposits were only within Assam, why was the latter only exploring and developing oil fields only along the Assam-Nagaland boundary? He opined it was time that Nagas introspect and take appropriate decision on the Assam-Naglaand boundary oil fields.
On the crucial development of air and rail connectivity to Dimapur, Yepthomi cited the allocation of Rs.283 crore on August 6,2023 by prime minister Narendra Modi for Dimapur among other 508 railway stations. He said Dimapur railway station generates the second highest revenue for NFR but lamented that the state government was not extending any assistance to railway officials to resolve land encroachments that have plagued and delayed the proposed upgradation process.
According to Yepthomi, the state government could resolve the land encroachment at the airport and railway station since the Dimapur district administrative officials had issued permits.
He asked “why is the leader of the day” not making any attempts to have the best world class railway station at Dimapur or is there a proposal “ to shift the railway station to another place”?
He also mentioned that all north east states have upgraded their respective airports with financial assistance from the government of India. To do that, he said land has to be provided by the state government. However, he said the government of Nagaland cannot provide land for airport development and upgradation as land encroachers were issued permits by the Dimapur district administration with the knowledge of the state government.
Yepthomi said although the land encroachment case is with the court, the state government was not pursuing the matter in order to provide land for airport development. He claimed that when the state government spent Rs.18,06,50,000(eighteen crore, six lakhs and fifty thousand) for acquiring 1013.72 acres of land for the proposed Chiethu airport(near Kohima) what was holding it back from providing needed land for Dimapur airport?
Yepthomi reminded that having an airport in the state capital was important as every state in the country has one but questioned the logic of undermining the importance of upgrading and improving the state’s only airport which caters to 3.20 lakh passengers annually with a growth rate of 8% annually.
He said there had been some arguments about non-feasibility of Dimapur airport upgradation and expansion due to its runway but pointed out that it was at par if longer than airports in Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.
He said expansion and upgradation of Dimapur airport was feasible as land was available but blamed the state government’s lackadaisical approach in not resolving the land issue during 2011-12 with Hollohon Colony and Aoyimti village. He said both villages agreed to sell required land to airport for less than Rs.50 crore but which was refused.
Yepthomi said when the state government could spend Rs.100 crore for the 2024 Hornbill Festival or Rs.19.3 crore for renovation of Dimapur Town Hall , why was Dimapur airport and Railway station been neglected?
He hit out that though Hornbill Festival is a platform to showcase the state’s tourism potential but it was only for just ten days unlike the utility of the airport which is functional for 365 days.
