GUWAHATI: Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation and research organisation in Northeast India over the devastation caused by the massive fire that is still raging at Baghjan oil field of Oil India Limited (OIL) adjacent to important wildlife areas, Maguri-Motapung wetlands and Dibru Saikhowa National Park.
“The raging fire has already had a severe impact on human habitation, agricultural fields, wildlife and wetlands. We urge that both OIL and the government agencies to act urgently in concerted manner to control the fire,” the NGO said.
Aaranyak has expressed doubt over OIL’s capability to check such fires, as the PSU has already failed miserably to prevent oil spill and subsequent fire due the unabated flow of gas from the well at Baghjan that had suffered a blowout on May 27 last.
“We demand that OIL takes full responsibility of the restoration of the environmental damage caused by the fire as well as providing adequate compensation to the affected people whose life, property are at stake,” stated Aaranyak in a communiqué.
“We also demand that OIL pledges to check such kind of mishap and become well-equipped to deal with such an emergency in future. It is time for the government to be more cautious and have a full understanding of the capabilities of user agencies before granting permission for greater interest of safeguarding public life and properties from such mishap. In this context, we would also like to draw attention on the recent clearance that OIL received for extracting crude oil underneath the ground using ERD (Extended Reach Drilling) technology at seven locations in the area,” stated Aaranyak adding that he decision needs to be revisited taking into account what has happened at Baghjan.
