Mail News Service
Imphal, July 29: A public discussion organized by committee on the protection of natural resources in Manipur was held at Jiribam today concerning the Manipur pollution control board’s public hearings for oil exploration in manipur at Jiribam, Parbung and Nungba .
The participants of the public consultation organized at Jiribam on 29th July 2012 to discuss the issues and challenges of Public Hearings on Petroleum Exploration in Manipur scheduled at Jiribam, Parbung and Nungba respectively on 30 July 2012, 7th and 17th August 2012 resolves to:
It expressed concern that the Manipur Pollution Control Board and the Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited has called for public hearings at Jiribam, Parbung and Nungba only after all processes for exploration and drilling of petroleum in Manipur, including surveys and signing of contracts and agreements with the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the oil company has already been completed.
It expressed that public hearings is a limited and flawed process which will only consider the environmental issues and not the issues of land, socio-cultural, rights, and other survival issues of present and coming generations. We highly object the incomplete, misleading portrayal and undermining of the rich natural, cultural and other heritage of Manipur by the draft Environment Impact Assessment prepared by SENES for Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited.Express our concern that there is no process to take the free, prior and informed consent of all indigenous peoples on Oil Exploration in Manipur. Details of Key documents such as Detailed
Project Report, the Production Sharing Contract and Petroleum Exploration Licensing agreements remains concealed from the people. .
Further resolves that the:
Government of India and the Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limted should stop all petroleum exploration and drilling in Manipur. And in this regard also to stop all petroleum exploratory survey works of Alpha Geo company and others in Manipur
To oppose Public Hearings on Oil Exploration in Manipur at Jiribam, Parbung and Nungba as public hearings has failed to recognize community’s rights and aspirations as evident by the public hearings processes of proposed Tipaimukh dam and is outcome – The Government of India should suspend all Contracts Awarded to Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on 19th July 2010 for the two oil blocks in Manipur unless and unless all issues are resolved as per the wishes and aspirations of all the indigenous peoples.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/public-discussion-opposes-oil-exploration-works/
