No biodiversity study done yet for drilling inside Assam’s Dibru-Saikhowa national park, OIL tells Gauhati HC

OIL maintained that existing rules do not require it to conduct public consultations and added that oil and gas exploration and extraction has not started yet

Updated on: Nov 18, 2020, 09:35:27 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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No public consultations were held before granting environmental clearance for the proposed drilling operations inside Assam’s Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Oil India Limited (OIL) said in an affidavit filed in the Gauhati high court on Tuesday. OIL maintained that existing rules do not require it to conduct public consultations and added that oil and gas exploration and extraction has not started yet. It added that no biodiversity study of the proposed site has been done yet. OIL said it is committed to undertaking the study.

A burnt tea-garden near Oil India Limited (OIL)'s gas well blowout site, at Baghjan in Tinsukia district of Assam. (File photo)

The affidavit was filed in response to a petition filed in the court seeking a stay on permission granted to OIL in May to drill for hydrocarbons at seven locations inside the Park.

In a separate affidavit, the Assam forest department said the Assam State Biodiversity Board (ASBB) has not conducted any biodiversity impact assessment study at the site.

The affidavit said ASBB received a request from OIL in August this year to conduct a biodiversity impact assessment study, but it could not be conducted due to the blowout at a natural gas well of OIL at Baghjan near the Park.

The forest department affidavit maintained that no drilling has been carried out inside the Park’s notified boundary.

Spread over 340 sq km, Dibru-Saikhowa is also a biosphere reserve and home to 36 mammal species including tiger, Gangetic dolphin, and feral horses.

OIL has said the drilling will be conducted through a technique called extended reach which would have no impact on the Park’s surface area.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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