PIL filed in Gauhati High Court over Assam gas well tragedy

A PIL was filed in the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday against PSU major Oil India, a private company, the Centre and the state over the Baghjan gas well blowout and successive fire, which have damaged lives and properties in the area.

The public interest litigation was filed by environmentalist-cum-entrepreneur Niranta Gohain and it has made 12 respondents, including Oil India Ltd (OIL), John Energy Pvt Ltd, and the various agencies of central and state governments.

The petitioner's advocate Santanu Borthakur said the PIL seeks adequate compensation to all the affected parties, a proper inquiry into the incident and measures to protect and restore the rich biodiversity of the area.

The application stated that the well number 5 of Baghjan is located in the Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve, comprising the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, the Maguri-Motapung Beel, and Dangori and Dibru rivers that flow into the Brahmaputra through the Lohit river.

"The entire area is a part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot," the petition said, adding the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is known for its rich biodiversities such as migratory birds and wild horses, while the Maguri-Motapung Beel is an Important Bird Area (IBA).

It also highlighted that due to the blowout and the fire at the well, thousands of people had to flee and were rendered homeless, while major damage was caused to the environment, including deaths of dolphins, fishes and other wildlife.

The well, which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 15 days, caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, killing two firefighters.

The blaze at the well is so massive that plumes of black smoke can be seen from a distance of more than 30 km, endangering the local biodiversity, including the nearby Dibru-Saikhowa National Park which was already reeling under the impact of the blowout.

Already two officials of the OIL have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty at the gas well site, while a show-cause notice has been issued to John Energy Pvt Ltd, the outsourced private operator of the well.

(Photo Credit: PTI)