Petroleum exploration yet to be finalised in Nagaland

Kohima, Mar 20: Reacting to a news that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will soon explore petroleum in Nagaland, the state government today said nothing has been finalised so far in this regard.

Nagaland Additional Chief Secretary Lalthara, in a statement here said the officials of ONGC had visited the state last week and the state government had given the corporation a permanent license in place of a temporary one that had been issued earlier.

He said the project was more or less regularised, but nothing had been finalised and so it was very difficult to say exactly when the work would begin in Champang under Wokha district of Nagaland.

He also said there were still some problems in the oil exploration and production operations, as the locals were demanding a royalty of five per cent. Mr Lalthara explained that out of the state's share of 20 per cent, the state government was willing to give the land owners two per cent and one fourth of the additional two per cent royalty that the Central Government had agreed to give to Nagaland.

He said the ONGC might be required to work under security if the work was to start soon.

UNI