A pipeline of Oil India Limited (OIL) caught fire at Digboi-Duliajan road near Dehing-Patkai National Park on Saturday which has created a sensation in the area.
A video went viral on social media which shows fire coming out of the OIL pipeline near Dehing-Patkai National Park.
Devojit Moran, a local environmentalist of the area, took the video shot after he witnessed the fire in the OIL pipeline.
Moran said, “The Dehing-Patkai National Park is facing a serious threat due to the leakage in the OIL pipeline. The gas and condensate, which comes out due to the leakage, is dangerous for the bio-diversity of Dehing-Patkai National Park,”.
He said, “The OIL pipeline goes through the Dehing-Patkai National Park and if something goes wrong due to the leakage, it will bring risk to the entire bio-diversity of the national park.”
“OIL should take the matter seriously and find out a solution to solve the matter. But it is seen that OIL is not bothered about the problem and despite several complaints, they didn’t take up the matter,” Moran said.
Moran further added, “Recently, Dehing-Patkai was upgraded as a national park but after witnessing the illegal activities at Dehing-Patkai nobody is concerned. No social organisation, no environmental organisation has come forward to raise their voice against the injustice. They only remain as mute spectators,”.
“OIL has started drilling in Dehing-Patkai National Park which has been affecting the entire surrounding of the national park.”
“Near the drilling site, a small river is situated where a population of elephants come to drink water and now due to the disturbance caused by the drilling they have stopped to come to that place,” Moran alleged.
Sources said oil thieves are active in the area and they sometimes damage the oil pipeline to steal condensate from the pipeline.
The Dehing-Patkai National Park falls under the Jeypore and Soraipung range of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia district.
It covers an area of 234.26 sq km.
Known for its rainforest, the last remaining stretches of Assam Valley Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests, the park is home to elephants, hoolock gibbons, golden cat, clouded leopard and other animals.
Till date, 47 mammal species, 47 reptile species and 310 butterfly species have been recorded.