The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the formation of an expert committee to probe the blowout and the subsequent fire of a natural gas well operated by Oil India Limited (OIL) in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district and the damage caused to human life, wildlife, and the environment because of the industrial disaster.
Acting on two different cases filed in the matter, the NGT in an order passed via video-conference because of the restrictions imposed due to the raging coronavirus disease (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 and the subsequent fire on June 9.
The gas well located at Baghjan had a blowout --- an uncontrolled release of gas and oil condensate --- on May 27 and it caught fire on June 9, which killed two firefighters and over 1,600 families, who were living close to the site of the industrial disaster, were displaced.
The eight-member expert committee will be headed by retired Justice BP Katakey of Gauhati high court and will have members from the Central Pollution Control Board (CBCB), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and 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 and damage caused to human life, wildlife, and environment, damage and the health hazards caused to the public and whether any contamination of the air, water, and soil of the area close to the gas well has taken place.
{{/usCountry}}The committee has been entrusted with the responsibility to probe cause of the blowout, the extent of loss and damage caused to human life, wildlife, and environment, damage and the health hazards caused to the public and whether any contamination of the air, water, and soil of the area close to the gas well has taken place.
{{/usCountry}}It will investigate contamination of water in the nearby Dibru river, impact on Dibru-Saikhowa National Park (DSNP) and Maguri Motapung wetland, determine people responsible for the fire, assessment of compensation to those affected and preventive, and also suggest preventive measures.
The tribunal directed the committee to submit its preliminary report “as expeditiously as possible and 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.
“In view of the prima facie case made out against OIL on the extent of damage caused to the environment and biodiversity, damage to both human and wildlife, public health and having regard to the financial worth of the company and the extent of damage, we direct OIL to deposit an initial amount of Rs 25 crore with the district collector of Tinsukia and shall abide by further orders of the tribunal,” the order stated.
The blowout and fire destroyed nearly 30 houses, covered houses, trees and 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, and about a kilometre from DSNP.
Efforts to control the fire and plug the blowout, which are expected to take a month, are underway.
But, incessant rainfall in the area since Monday and the collapse of a bridge on Wednesday on the main route leading to the gas well have hampered work and transportation of both men and materials.