A committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has faulted Oil India Limited (OIL) for “mismatch between planning and execution”, leading to eastern Assam’s Baghjan well blowout that caused “extensive damage” to public and private resources.
The eight-member panel headed by retired Gauhati High Court Judge Brojendra Prasad Katakey was formed on June 24, less than a month after OIL’s Well No. 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district had a blowout. A team of experts, including six foreign disaster control specialists, is yet to cap the well that has been ablaze since June 9.
The 89-page preliminary report submitted to the NGT’s Principal Bench in New Delhi on July 24 said the panel looked into several aspects such as the cause of the gas leak, the extent of damage caused to human life, wildlife and the environment besides rehabilitation, preventive and remedial measures.
‘Unanimous view’
The panel was of the “unanimous view” that the Baghjan-5 blowout and subsequent explosion “has led to extensive damage to both the publicly-owned resources”, including the Maguri-Motapung wetland and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
“Additionally, it has caused irreparable physical harm and damage to privately-owned property of the survivors in the affected villages,” it said, suggesting adequate compensation for the affected people.
