DHARAMSHALA: The Environmental and Development Desk of the Central Tibetan Administration expressed concern over a proposed exploration of oil and gas resources in Lhunphula basin in central Tibet.

Sinopec Southern Exploration Company signed an agreement with the Oil and Gas Resources Research Centre of Geological Survey Bureau of Ministry of Land Resources to conduct a joint exploration of oil and gas resources in the selected areas of Lhunphula basin in central Tibet.

The Environmental and Development Desk said it is against any kind of exploration and mining in the ecologically sensitive areas of Tibet.

Any mining projects must meet the basic requirements, namely consultation with local Tibetans, thorough investigation of social, environmental and cultural impacts, compliance to environmental laws and regulations and ensuring benefits to local Tibetans. It should not deplete the natural resources and refrain from facilitating the migration and settlement of non-Tibetans into Tibet.

Any kind of resource exploration and mining project must follow recognised codes of conduct which have already been accepted by major mining corporations around the world. The guideline of International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) comprehensively covers all phases of mining, from preliminary exploration to rehabilitation and pollution prevention responsibilities long after mining has ceased, it said.

The Tibetan plateau has a pristine and a rich deposit of natural resources due to the conscious awareness about environmental protection being deeply rooted in Tibetan religious beliefs, customs, and moral obligations. But after the occupation of Tibet by communist China, the Chinese government started exploiting the rich natural resources of Tibet from as early as 1956. China has invested heavily on exploration and detailed geological mapping of Tibet. Today there are at least over 200 major sites where around 132 types of minerals are being exploited. The extraction of oil and gas has been the major energy resources being extracted especially in Tsaidam Basin (Ch: Chaidamu) in Amdo and Jhangthang region of north-western Tibet which forms two major oil deposit zones of great interest to Chinese exploitation companies.

Such rampant mining of Tibet’s resources hurt the religious and cultural sentiments of the Tibetan people leading to protests and other drastic actions including self-immolations. The most recent incident occurred on 24 May when over 4,500 Tibetans gathered near Naglha Zamba, a sacred hill rich in mineral resources, to protest against its exploitation by Chinese miners. If the state of aggressive and rampant mining is also carried out without following any guidelines or regulations, Tibetans are bound to make their grievances heard.