Public hearing held without any public representatives
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Jiri, July 30 2012: Manipur Pollution Control Board conducted public hearing on Petroleum exploration in Manipur at Town Hall, Jiribam today without any representatives of the public.

The hearing started from 11 am and continued till 3 pm.

Additional District Magistrate, Jiribam, Y Iboyaima was the chairman of the hearing panel while other members included N Minaketan, Senior Environmental Engineer of Manipur Pollution Control Board; DFO W Yaiskul of Jiribam Forest Division; Apoorva Ranjan, Vice President of Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd, Noida; Dr Jagadishwar, Member Secretary of MPCB and Addl SP of Imphal East O Menjor.

Representative of Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd said that the oil exploration would benefit the people in the surrounding area in term of labour, small business like selling recharge, tyre workshops and development in road transportations.

Would-be affected villagers rallying at Jiribam against the public hearing conducted in connection with the proposed petroleum exploration and drilling

Meanwhile, a public rally against the oil exploration and the so called public hearing was staged at Jiribam under the aegis of Committee on Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur.

The rally was participated by thousands of people residing in the affected area.

The rally was flagged off from Jiribam Higher Secondary School ground and went towards Town Hall.

However, police stop them as they reached Town Hall.