Guwahati: Fresh protests erupted in Assam’s Sivasagar on Sunday over the continuing gas leak at an ONGC well in Bhatiapar, which began on June 12, with residents demanding the arrest of Krishna Agarwal, owner of SK Petro Services.
Sources indicate that the locals took to the streets, condemning the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) failure to control the situation.
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Protestors chanted slogans like “ONGC, go back!” and “We want justice”. Artists and local leaders also joined the residents in their demonstration.
Assam’s renowned musician, singer, and lyricist Manas Robin expressed solidarity with the protestors. He called for fair compensation for all those affected by the leak and demanded an investigation into the incident’s cause.
“There’s always a risk in such operations, and we must mitigate these effectively,” Robin stated, citing the need for robust safety protocols.
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Meanwhile, senior ONGC officials visited the gas leak site on Sunday.
According to KN Sangma, General Manager of Assam Asset, ONGC, the authorities are trying to control the gas leak by capping, along with prioritising the safety of the locals.
He said that the Indian and international experts are monitoring the situation by following standard safety protocols, and they have prepared the site for further technical operations.
However, Sangma admitted that specifying a definite timeline for stopping the leak was challenging.
“We cannot give a definite timeline, but we will try to control it as early as possible to provide relief to residents, technical persons, and employees alike,” he added.
Notably, a team of three international experts from CUDD Pressure Control in the United States arrived at the site on Saturday and conducted preliminary inspections. They expect to begin operations on Sunday to curb the gas leak, bringing specialized expertise to the ongoing efforts.