Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him about the latest developments regarding Baghjan oil well explosion incident.
The Prime Minister assured of all help towards the people in the affected area.
Through a statement issued on Wednesday, the Assam chief minister informed that he talked over phone with Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday after the receiving information about the explosion and the resultant fire in the area.
He also held a video conference in the evening with the Union Petroleum Minister, officers of the Petroleum Ministry and the foreign experts who came from Singapore to gauge the actual ground situation.
Pradhan had assured that adequate compensation would be provided to those affected in the incident apart from extending all help, Sonowal said.
The chief minister informed that evacuation has been carried out and several relief camps have been set up to provide safe shelter to the people in the vicinity.
He said industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, who reached Tinsukia following his directions, would hold meeting with district administration, DG of Assam Police, CMD and other top officials of OIL along with representatives of various local organisations.
Sonowal stated that both Central and state governments have been taking all necessary steps to ensure safety of people in the affected area along with providing adequate compensation to those affected.
Informing that the intensity of fire has decreased from that of Tuesday, Sonowal said the foreign experts have expressed optimism that the fire would be controlled and they have sought a few days for the same.
Union Petroleum Minister, along with the experts of his ministry, was monitoring the whole situation and the experts of OIL, ONGC would be able to bring the situation under control soon, he said.
Sonowal also informed that he talked with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday and requested them to keep air and ground forces ready for carrying out relief and rescue operations for the affected people.
Both the Union Ministers assured of all help in this regard, he said.
The chief minister also talked with DoNER Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh and Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju for apprising them about the developments.
Chief minister Sonowal also extended his condolences over the death of two OIL employees out of the four missing personnel working at the oil well and said that they both made supreme sacrifice for the greater interest of the society.
The chief minister also urged the Petroleum Minister to offer employment to one family member each of both the families apart from providing adequate compensation.
Moreover, the chief minister has directed for completing the last rites of both the deceased in the incident Durlov Gogoi, assistant operator and Tikheswar Gohain, assistant operator (Fire Service) with full state honours.
Assuring that the government was standing by the people of Baghjan in this hour of crisis, the chief minister said that both the Centre and the state government would take all possible steps for relief, rescue and rehabilitation of the affected families.
