Environment Conservation Network, an environmental body has urged Manipur Commerce and Industries Minister Th Bishwajit to intervene in the oil exploration works underway in the State.
In a memorandum submitted to the Minister, the organization stated that the oil exploration works undertaken in the state of Manipur need to be immediately stopped as it may cause severe environment degradation and may lead to serious human rights violation.
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The environment body argued that it ‘failed to comply with the mandatory norms’ prior to the implementation of the project by the Oil India Limited like the free prior and informed consent under the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous People.
“All the development projects initiated in Manipur often violate the United Nations on Rights of the Indigenous People and Mandate of the UN working group on Business and Human Rights”, the environmental body said while adding that the Government of Manipur must learn the negative impact of oil exploration in Nigeria where the Niger Delta was adversely affected due to the oil exploration since 1950s.
The memorandum further questioned the Minister if the people of Manipur have to be sacrificed lives for the growth of oil companies.
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It further stated that if the State Government, the Centre and the oil company fail to respect the rights of the indigenous people inhabited in Manipur then the liability for violating the rights of the indigenous people will fall upon the government of Manipur, India and the oil companies by complying the international law obligation.