Nagaland oil drilling activities in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB) along the Nagaland-Assam border came under scrutiny in the Nagaland Assembly on Thursday, September 3, after MLA Achumbemo Kikon raised concerns over alleged oil surveys and drilling works near Lio Woka Oil in Wokha district. Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, however, told the House that the situation along the disputed border is now under control.
MLA raises concerns over Nagaland oil drilling
Kikon raised the matter under Rule 54 of the Assembly, referring to a representation submitted by the Yanmhon Area Public Organisation (YAPO) on August 31. The organisation had objected to alleged oil-related activities near Lio Woka Oil and Hayiyan village under the Bhandari subdivision.
The MLA said the site is located within his constituency and is around 500 metres from Lio Woka village. He sought clarification on whether the work had received approval from the Nagaland government.
Kikon also urged the government to have the site verified by the competent authority. He called for the ongoing work to be kept in abeyance if the required approvals were absent, until the matter is addressed under the tripartite agreement between Nagaland, Assam and the Centre.
According to Kikon, ONGC and other oil companies were carrying out surveys and identifying possible drilling locations in the disputed belt. He expressed concern that continued exploration could lead to the extraction of oil deposits claimed by Nagaland.
Tripartite MoU sets framework for exploration
The issue comes less than three months after the Centre, Assam and Nagaland signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on June 11, 2026, to facilitate mineral oil operations in Assam-Nagaland boundary areas.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. The Centre described the agreement as a framework for coordinated mineral oil operations and said it was intended to create a stable environment for exploration and production.
The MoU was aimed at addressing a major obstacle to hydrocarbon development in the border region, where the long-running territorial dispute between Assam and Nagaland has complicated resource exploration. It also provides for coordination among the governments and stakeholders involved in petroleum operations.
However, concerns over land rights, jurisdiction and local consultation have continued to surface since the agreement. In July, the Central Nagaland Tribal Council had urged the state government to suspend oil drilling in the DAB until boundaries were officially demarcated and affected stakeholders were consulted.
Border access also becomes Assembly concern
Kikon’s intervention was not limited to Nagaland oil drilling. He also highlighted an August 25 incident at Mekirang, also referred to as Negheribil, involving villagers travelling to Longayim with rubber saplings supplied by the Rubber Board of India.
The villagers were allegedly stopped at a barricade erected by the Assam Forest Department. Kikon said the incident raised concerns about the movement of villagers and access to areas along the disputed border.
He also questioned the deployment of security and forest personnel in the DAB and asked whether the Nagaland Forest Department was taking steps to deploy its own personnel in the area.
DyCM says border situation is under control
Responding to the concerns, Patton said a vehicle carrying rubber saplings was stopped at the Assam Forest Department barricade on August 25. A scuffle followed after people from the Assam side gathered at the location, he told the Assembly.
Border Magistrates from both states subsequently reached the area and allowed the vehicle to proceed after verifying that the saplings were intended for plantation at Longayim village rather than the evicted site.
Patton said another confrontation occurred on August 26. Two Naga village leaders were allegedly attacked after being accused of responsibility for the earlier confrontation. An office bearer of the Lotha Lower Range Public Organisation was also allegedly assaulted.
The alleged victims were advised to file an FIR, and a case was registered at Bhandari Police Station on August 27, according to the Deputy Chief Minister.
The Wokha and Golaghat deputy commissioners later held a joint meeting. Nagaland conveyed that movement of Naga villagers and the general public should not be obstructed because the road is a lifeline for border communities.
Both administrations also agreed to activate the Border Level Peace Committee to strengthen coordination and prevent further incidents. Patton told the House that the situation was now under control.
Eviction dispute remains a sensitive issue
Patton also provided background on the continuing dispute at Negheribil-Mekirang. A joint eviction drive was conducted on August 8, 2025, during which 205 households were served eviction notices and 146 were evicted.
The eviction of the remaining 59 households was kept on hold following court intervention. Fresh notices were later issued by the Golaghat district administration and Assam Forest Department, but the Gauhati High Court, through an order dated August 18, 2026, granted another 60-day extension.
The Nagaland government, Patton said, is closely monitoring developments and coordinating with Assam authorities. Future eviction or plantation activities in the disputed area are expected to involve coordination between officials of both states rather than unilateral action.
The Assembly discussion highlights the difficult balance between resource development and the long-standing Assam-Nagaland boundary dispute. With Nagaland oil drilling now moving into sharper public and political focus, government coordination, clear approvals and safeguards for border communities are likely to remain central to developments in the disputed belt.
Shillong Lajong Secure Powerful 2-0 Win Over Meghalaya Police