Nagaland wants only foreign explorers
Nagaland is more ready to welcome foreign explorers like Canoro Resources of Canada than ONGC.
I am afraid our experience with ONGC has been less than satisfactory, chief minister Neiphiu Rio tells this report. Canoro is aware of our sensibilities and will develop our community resources if it makes money from our oil.
Canoro operates exploration block AA-ON/7, part of which falls in Nagaland. Security experts are unsurprised at Rios preference for foreign explorers, saying he owes his position to the separatist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
We will not allow ONGC to exploit our oil resources unless we have apolitical deal, NSCN spokesman Kraibo Chawang tells us. The state government will face dire consequences if it helps ONGC.
In 1994, ONGC discovered oil at Wokha in Nagaland but was forced out. In 2005, it aborted plans to return when the NSCN demanded taxes to the 'Peoples Republic of Nagaland.'
