IMPHAL, August 24: The Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur, CPNRM has expressed its strong condemnation on the reported filing of a First Information Report, FIR by the state police against those protesting the Petroleum Exploration in Manipur during the environmental public hearing organized by the Manipur Pollution Control Board, MPCB on August 17 at Nungba.
According to a press conference of the committee, the filing of FIR has proved that the Government of India, Govt of Manipur and the Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt. Ltd (lOPL) have insist on militaristic forms of development in clear violation of indigenous peoples rights.
It has further said that the committee would like to clarify that, the communities were expressing their opinions freely against oil exploration in the state.
“That the Government of India, Government of Manipur and the JOGPL have signed production sharing contracts and Petroleum Exploration licenses in 2010 `without informing and taking the free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous peoples of Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Jiribam and rest of Manipur and that, innocent villagers are duped to sign no objections letters or NOC for seismic surveys by Alphageo Company without informing them the details and impacts of seismic surveys and oil exploration.”
There is no question of rioting during the public hearing at Nungba, it said.
The release has also said that the communities did not resort to any violent means but expressed their opinions to defend and protect their land and future in a democratic way.
It is also said, “The communities were infuriated as the MPCB`s officials hastily announced postponement of the public hearing, which is a clear cut case of deceiving the communities”.
There is no question of coercion to the Deputy Commissioner, Tamenglong, any officials of the MPCB, and the JOGPL representatives to cancel the public hearing, it said.
The communities were only demanding for a written note of cancellation of the public hearing as MPCB and the Government officials had in earlier public hearings on the proposed Tipaimukh Dam especially the one at Kaimai village on March 26, 2008 falsely reported of public hearing despite the fact that the hearing could not be held due to massive protest from affected communities.
The release also added that the CPNRM would like to call upon the government, both the state and the centre and the Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited (JOGPL) to stop all Oil and Gas Exploration & Drilling in Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Jiribam in Manipur and to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.