| Government of India, through its Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, granted license to Jubiliant Oil and Gas Private Limited, a company based in Netherlands, for exploration and drilling works in two oil blocks in Manipur. The state has been known in fact as the 'golden land'; the richest areas are located in the Jiribam (Imphal East), Tamenglong, and Churachandpur districts of Manipur. The contracts were awarded under the eighth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) of the Government of India. The Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for the Manipur oil Block I, codenamed AA-ONN-2009/1, and the Petroleum Exploration License (PEL), was granted by the Manipur Government on 23rd September, 2010 [1]. The total oil potential in Manipur is nearly 5 Trillion Cubic Feet altogether in the Abin, Kharkhublien, Taithu, Sialman, Laimata, Oinamlong anticlines in the two oil blocks of Manipur. After the getting the contract Jubiliant Energy plans to drill from 30 oil wells in Manipur [3]. In a glaring lack of transparency and accountability, the indigenous peoples of Manipur have not been informed about the terms and conditions deliberated upon and detailed in the contracts and licensing agreements between the government of India, the government of Manipur, and Jubiliant Energy. People of Manipur are expressing deep concern with both the process and impact of oil exploration in Manipur. The mandatory environmental public hearings for oil explorations meant to be held at Jiribam, Parbung, and Nungba Town, on 30th July, 8th August, and 17th August, 2012, were met by massive community protests objecting to the oil exploration. The environmental public hearing at Nungba was cancelled by government officials, due to stiff opposition by the community. The community protestors were able to extract a written note, detailing the cancellation of the public hearing cancellation, from officials of the Manipur Pollution Control Board, the Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong District, and the Jubilant oil and Gas Private Limited [1, 3]. (See less) |