The NGT has ordered the formation of an expert committee to probe the blowout & the subsequent fire of a natural gas well operated by Oil India Limited (OIL) in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district & the damage caused to human life, wildlife, & the environment because of the industrial disaster.
Acting on 2 different cases filed in the matter, the National Green Tribunal in an order passed via video-conference because of the restrictions imposed due to the raging COVID-19 outbreak on Wednesday also directed OIL to deposit an initial amount of Rs 25 crore to the Tinsukia district administration for the damage caused by the blowout on May 27 & the subsequent fire on June 9.
The gas well located at Baghjan had a blowout — an uncontrolled release of gas & oil condensate — on May 27 & it caught fire on June 9, which killed two firefighters & over 1,600 families, who were living close to the site of the industrial disaster, were displaced.
The 8-member expert committee will be headed by retired Justice BP Katakey of Gauhati high court & will have members from the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB), the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) & also the District Magistrate (DM) of Tinsukia.
The committee has been entrusted with the responsibility to probe cause of the blowout, the extent of loss & damage caused to human life, wildlife, & environment, damage & the health hazards caused to the public & whether any contamination of the air, water, & soil of the area close to the gas well has taken place.
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It will investigate contamination of water in the nearby Dibru river, impact on Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (DSNP) & Maguri Motapung wetland, determine people responsible for the fire, assessment of compensation to those affected & preventive, & also suggest preventive measures.
The NGT directed the committee to submit its preliminary report “as expeditiously as possible & not later than 30 days” from the date of issue of the order.
The next date for the hearing has been fixed on July 29.
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The order said that “In view of the prima facie case made out against OIL on the extent of damage caused to the environment & biodiversity, damage to both human & wildlife, public health & having regard to the financial worth of the company & the extent of damage, we direct OIL to deposit an initial amount of Rs 25 crore with the district collector of Tinsukia & shall abide by further orders of the tribunal”.
The blowout & fire destroyed nearly 30 houses, covered houses, trees & water bodies in the area close to the well, which is barely 500 metres from Maguri Motapung wetland, an eco-sensitive habitat for rare species of birds, & about a kilometre from DSNP.
Efforts to control the fire & plug the blowout, which are expected to take a month, are underway.
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But, incessant rainfall in the area since Monday & the collapse of a bridge on Wednesday on the main route leading to the gas well have hampered work & transportation of both men & materials.
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