IMPHAL, November 22: The Hmar communities have strongly condemned the 5th Environmental Hearing organized by the Manipur Pollution Control Board at Shibapurikhal (Ankhasuo village) on November 21, 2012 in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district, Manipur.
According to a press release of the Commitee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur ousted, the Oil Exploration Plan was rejected by the Hmar Chief and villagers attending the hearing.
Despite the Hmar Inpui, the Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Organisation (SIPHRO), the Zomi Human Rights Foundation, among others boycotting the public hearing in a move of expressing opposition to the oil exploration move in Tipaimukh region, the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB), along with Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt. Ltd. (JOGPL), held a fifth round of environment public hearing relying on the state and central forces for environmental clearances for the proposed oil exploration Tipaimukh Sub Division of Churachandpur district.
It said that out of the 35 villages of the Vangai Range that will be affected by the exploration, only 14 (people) attended the hearing. There was also protest outside the public hearing. Protestors holding banners, reading ‘Stop Oil Exploration in Tipaimukh Area’ by the local Joint Action Committee, at the entrance to the village, was removed by one Major Parichoy of the 22 Assam Rifles.
The press release further said that during the environment hearing, representative of the Jubilant Energy said that oil drilling will leave a “low footprint”.
However, questions on who will be responsible in the event of an environmental disaster resulting from the exploration were not responded to accurately, JOGPL only stated that it will do its best to avert such disaster.