In a press release, GFW Director N Janbemo Humtsoe and General Secretary Z Hayibemo Ezung had drawn attention to a statement of the Nagaland Planning Minister and Convener of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Oil and Natural Resources (CSONR) T R Zeliang, who reportedly told that the PIL could cause delay in the work of the Sub-Committee and also in clean up operations.
The GFW said the affected communities were only asking for justice and not trying to interfere or obstruct the ongoing efforts of the state government to frame policies for extraction and exploration of natural resources in the state.
It clarified that the affected communities had, through land owners and civil organisations such as the Kyong Hoho, Kyong Students’ Union and the NSF, raised their concerns to the ONGC as well as the state government, seeking immediate redressal of the issue.
The GFW said the affected communities had tried to reason with the ONGC and the government asking for transparency and justice for nearly two decades and added such unfounded statement from the minister at this crucial hour would in no way resolve conflicts but only aggravate the issues.
The GFW maintained that people needed to know to what extent the current dangers of the oil spills had been reduced as there was no evidence of any remedial measures being undertaken to contain the oil spills either from the ONGC or the government.