Northeast Students' Organisation (NESO) has launched a campaign among the tribal communities of northeastern states against the proposed tri-nation Indo-Myanmar gas pipeline that will run from Sittwe in Myanmar's Akaran state to Bihar through Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and Mizoram.

neso, a platform of seven student organisations in the region, has been opposing the project for long because, according to them, it will cause environmental degradation, besides displacing tribal habitation.

After Mizoram, NESO officials are now campaigning in Tripura for generating public opinion against the project.

According to NESO general secretary N S N Lotha, they will go for a demonstration against the proposed 1,400 km gas pipeline even in Delhi and have already formed the Sittwe Gas Pipeline Campaign Committee.

South Korea's Daewoo International has signed an exploration contract with the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise for rights to carry out oil and gas exploration in the A-1 offshore block off the Akaran coast. Daewoo holds 60 per cent share while ONGC has 20 per cent, GAIL 10 per cent and KOGAS, another South Korean company, 10 per cent share in the project.

"The proposed pipeline will swallow more than 400 sq km of Mizoram, cause massive deforestation in the Dampa Tiger Reserve and logistically cut off 150 Chakma and Bru villages in remote hill ranges along the West Mizo frontier,'' NESO vice chairperson Lalmuanpuia Punte said.