Assam: The fire at Oil India Limited’s Baghjan in Assam has led to protests by villagers (File)
Guwahati:
Public sector giant Oil India Ltd has decided to restart production using “modern technology” at the site of an oil blowout in Assam’s Baghjan. “Our experts and engineers are working to carry out production from the blowout Baghjan oil well using modern technology and within four days they will start the work. It will solve the sound problem as well as continuous fire at the oil well,” OIL spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika said.
Mr Hazarika said they will get a machine from Canada within three weeks to control the fire that is coming out from the site.
OIL faces huge production loses due to the blowout. The Baghjan No. 5 well is one of the major producers of crude oil in upper Assam.
The oil well blowout happened nearly 100 days ago and experts who came from Singapore could not control the fire.
People in nearby areas who are affected due to the industrial accidents have been protesting for compensation for the last one week. They have set up tents near the office of the Tinsukia district deputy commissioner.
“We will continue our protest till our demands are met. We are waiting for the BP Katakey report, which will be come out tomorrow. Our next action will be decided after the report is submitted,” said Satyajit Moran, chief of Baghjan Gaon Milanjyoti Yuba Sangha.
An eight-member committee headed by retired Gauhati High Court judge Justice BP Katakey was formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to study the oil well blowout in Baghjan.
“We need compensation… Rs 25 lakh and Rs 10 lakh would be given according to categories defined by the NGT,” Mr Moran said.
