Operations have been disrupted at 31 oil and five gas wells of Oil India Limited because of continued protests by locals at Assam’s Baghjan demanding immediate compensation and rehabilitation of those affected by a gas well blowout and fire.
An Oil India official pegged the company’s losses from the May 27 blowout in Tinsukia district and the disruptions at Rs 15 crore.
“We are requesting the locals to see sense and call off their protests. We have already asked the district administration to carry out an assessment so that we can compensate those genuinely affected. We have also asked them to intervene to amicably resolve the issue,” the official said.
Locals continued to disrupt functioning of Oil India on Thursday in the greater Baghjan area, around 530km east of Guwahati, in protest against the alleged “slowness” and “indifference” of the administration towards their demands for expedited compensation and rehabilitation.
“We have scaled up our protests by not allowing Oil India to operate its gas and oil wells in the greater Baghjan area. We will continue to do so till our demands for time-bound assessment of our losses, disbursement of compensation, rehabilitation of the affected and restoration of ecology are met,” Hemanta Moran, adviser to the Baghjan Gaon Milanjyoti Sangha, a local NGO, told The Telegraph.
“There was a quiet attempt by Oil India to resume activities in the evening but we will not allow operations till our demands are met,” said Sangha president Satyajit Moran.
A peaceful dharna is being staged by the locals at the relief camps every day. No untoward incident had been reported till Thursday evening.
The fire at the well broke out on June 9, aggravating the problems of locals. Most residents with 1.5km of the affected gas well have lost their livelihood because of the pollution. Around 25 people have lost their homes and two Oil India firefighters died while trying to battle the blaze.
An Oil India statement said: “Due to stoppage/blockades, there was production loss of 406MT of crude oil and 0.64 million metric standard cubic metres (MMSCM) of natural gas as reported on June 17 (Wednesday). Operations were disrupted in 31 oil wells and five gas wells. Cumulative production loss since May 27 due to bandhs and blockades: 6,538MT crude oil and 8.61MMSCM of natural gas.”
Oil India also said that a survey to assess the damage and determine compensation had been initiated by a committee constituted by the Tinsukia district administration.
The Sangha adviser and president said the assessment was being conducted for the past two days.
“Around 10 to 12 officials carried out an assessment today (Thursday). There were more people today but we want time-bound assessment,” Hemanta Moran said.
Satyajit Moran and Hemanta Moran said a team from the public works department had started a survey for an alternative road from Baghjan to Tinsukia, around 1km from the affected gas well.
“The new road from Baghjan to Dhelakhat tea estate will be about 3.5km-long. From there we can go to Tinsukia, which is around 15km from here,” Sangha adviser Hemanta Moran said.
The new road was promised by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal as part of the development package announced by his government along with a school, veterinary hospital and a skill development centre, besides a flood and erosion control project.
He had also announced maximum compensation to the affected but did not specify the amount. The locals were not satisfied with the steps, prompting Sonowal to subsequently direct the Tinsukia administration to speed up the projects.
In Guwahati, senior AGP leader and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, after a stock-taking trip to Baghjan, demanded that the affected people be adequately compensated and rehabilitated as soon as possible.
