ONGC to resume mining in Nagaland
In 1994, the Nagaland government asked the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ongc) to shut shop in the state. Pressure from local people and militant groups had a big role in the decision. The country's largest crude oil producer is now set to resume operations in the north eastern state. It has signed a lease with the Nagaland government to revive petroleum mining in Changpang village in Wokha district. The state government claims to have resolved old issues but local people and militant groups dispute that. They have also raised the issue of pollution from oil wells.
ongc began explorations in Nagaland in 1973. Changpang with its rich crude oil deposits came in for special attention. According to the corporation, the village has 20 million tonnes of hydrocarbon reserves. Production began in 1981 but it stopped 13 years later.Local people and militant groups contended that land was leased to ongc in violation of Nagaland's special status under article 371 of the Constitution