'Assam OIL mishap affected both nature and locals badly'

Leaves of most trees at Baghjan village in Assam's Tinsukia district have dried and the fire from Oil India Limited's (OIL) gas well that lit up the oil and gas condensate on June 9 burnt down the crops and grasslands around it.

"Most of our cattle are missing and even if there are a few still in the village, there is no grass around to feed them. They don't eat the fodder provided by the government. Most villagers have left their homes and even if the fire in the well periphery has stopped, we can't stay here due to the intense heat from the still burning well," Abhiraj Mohan, a resident of Baghjan village, where the gas well first blowout on May 27 and caught fire 13-days later told DH on Monday.

Read: State government, OIL to compensate all affected in Assam gas well tragedy

Thirty-six-year-old Abhiraj, a worker in OIL's drilling department fled the village with his wife and three-year-old daughter as soon as fire broke out and have been living in a relief camp at Koliapani, about 2 kms away.

"Some houses and tea gardens have been totally burnt down. The tremors that we have been frequently witnessing since the fire broke out has cracked walls of many houses here. People are still very scared as we still feel the tremors," he said. Abhiraj's house is about 400-meter away from the gas well, which was still burning.

"The fire has badly impacted both humans as well as nature and the impact will remain for some time," he said. Baghjan is situated about 500-km east of Guwahati.

Also Read: OIL suffers 638 tonnes oil, 0.46 mmscmd gas loss post Assam incident

Nearly, 7,000 villagers have been evacuated to 12 relief camps as experts from Singapore, Australia and Canada were trying to cap the gas well even on the 20th day on Monday.

"Most of the affected people are economically either dependent on OIL's works or on farming and fishing in the nearby fields and Maguri-Motapung wetland. The oil spill and the fire have badly affected the wetland and their livelihoods.

The children taking shelter in the relief camps are traumatised and there is fear about Covid-19 too as the camps are crowded," said Chiranjeeb Kakoty, director of Nort East Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses (NESPYM), an NGO.

Also Read: Assam gas fire to have long-term impact on biodiversity hotspot

Staffs of NESPYM and Childline Tinsukia visited at least five relief camps at Rupai, Deomali and Guijan and distributed relief materials including masks and sanitiser. "Government and OIL are providing food but they are still using common toilets and water source. Some pregnant women are also taking shelter in the camps," Jurina Phukan of NESPYM said.

A preliminary assessment by Wildlife Institute of India said wildlife in the ecologically sensitive area has been exposed to danger and carcasses of endangered Gangetic dolphins as well as those of rare birds with feathers soaked in oil and other animals have been recovered. The oilfield is located about 1km from the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, a safe haven of rare and threatened species and 1.5km from the Maguri Motapung Beel, a valuable wetland and an important bird area.

A statement issued by OIL on Monday said the civil works suggested by the experts for capping the gas well was underway and army's help was also sought to construct a bridge quickly over a water body adjacent to the burning gas well.