Overview:

Oil Leak Triggers Anxiety: Once again, an oil and gas rig operated by Oil India Limited faced a crisis in the Dighaltarang area under Baghjan village of Tinsukia district. The rig uncontrollably spewed out crude oil, gases, and condensates for nearly three hours on Tuesday night, causing alarm among villagers who feared a recurrence of the Baghjan blowout.

Swift Response: Responding promptly to the emergency, a team of experts from OIL acted swiftly to address the situation. They managed to contain the leak by closing a valve on the oil well. Despite this quick intervention, residents couldn't shake off the memories of the devastating Baghjan blowout and subsequent fire in 2020.

Environmental Concerns: The leak originated from an oil rig located near the banks of the Dangori River, raising concerns about potential environmental damage. Villagers expressed worries about the impact on water bodies, tea gardens, and agricultural farms. The incident reignited the pervasive fear and anxiety prevalent in the community since the Baghjan disaster.

Community Reaction: Satyajit Moran, advisor to Baghjan Milanjyoti Sangha, likened the recent incident to the Baghjan blowout, highlighting the pervasive smell of condensate and its adverse effects on the atmosphere. While OIL managed to control the leakage, the spillage affected labor lines and tea gardens in the vicinity.

Government Assurance: Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner Swapaneel Paul reassured residents that the situation was swiftly brought under control, with no reported damages thus far. An inquiry into the incident is underway to ascertain its cause and prevent future occurrences.

Compensation Battle Continues: The leak has affected approximately 600 residents living near the rig, exacerbating the ongoing compensation battle of Baghjan and Natun Rongagora villagers in the Supreme Court of India and the NGT. Despite court orders, villagers lamented the lack of adequate compensation from the Tinsukia district administration for the 2020 blowout.

DIBRUGARH: Once again, an oil and gas rig operated by the Oil India Limited (OIL) in Dighaltarang area under Baghjan village of Tinsukia district in Assam uncontrollably spewed out crude oil, gases, and condensates for nearly three hours on Tuesday (April 09) night, reigniting fears of another Baghjan blowout among the villagers.

Promptly responding to the incident, a team of experts from OIL swiftly took action and managed to plug the oil well by closing a valve.

However, the event left the residents on edge, vividly recalling the devastating Baghjan blowout and oil fire of 2020 that ravaged the region.

The leak occurred in an oil rig located near the banks of the Dangori River, which flows through Dibru Saikhowa national park in Assam.

Villagers expressed concerns about the damage to water bodies, tea gardens, and agricultural farms, highlighting the constant fear and anxiety that has gripped the community since the previous catastrophe.

Also read: Era of insurgency ended in Assam, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Satyajit Moran, advisor to Baghjan Milanjyoti Sangha, likened the recent incident to the Baghjan blowout, noting that while the leakage was controlled by OIL officials, the pervasive smell of condensate from the oil rig had rendered the atmosphere unhealthy.

The spillage also impacted labour lines and tea gardens in the area.

Tinsukia district commissioner Swapaneel Paul assured that the leakage was swiftly brought under control, with no reported damages thus far.

An inquiry into the incident is underway.

The leak has affected approximately 600 residents residing near the rig, further exacerbating the ongoing struggles of the Baghjan and Natun Rongagora villagers in their compensation battle in the Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Despite court orders, villagers claim that the Tinsukia district administration in Assam has not adequately compensated them for the 2020 Baghjan blowout.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]