A CORRESPONDENT
NAZIRA: Continuous emission of oil and gas from underground near an ONGC oil field in Geleki has entered its seventh day, triggering widespread panic among residents who fear a disaster similar to the Baghjan blowout.
Residents of Bishnupur Adarsha Gaon in the Sivasagar district have reported the incident to the Geleki No-Pam Baruwati Gaon Panchayat. Locals have alleged gross negligence and irresponsibility on the part of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) authorities.
According to reports, the leak was first noticed seven days ago at a broiler farm owned by a local resident, Basanta Duwara, where gas began gushing out from beneath the ground with high intensity. Over the following days, the emission spread to nearby areas, filling the entire locality with a strong, toxic smell and creating a sense of fear and chaos among residents.
The situation has raised serious concerns of a potential major accident, with locals drawing parallels to the devastating Baghjan incident. People in the area are reportedly living in constant fear of an explosion or other calamity.
Upon receiving information, an ONGC team reached the site and initiated excavation work using JCB machines to locate the source of the leak. However, as of the time of reporting, they have failed to identify the exact origin of the gas emission.
The situation has worsened, and public anxiety has increased due to reports of new gas leaks from a nearby ONGC oil well.
As a precautionary measure, fire tenders have been deployed in the area. However, the local residents remain angry and dissatisfied with ONGC’s handling of the crisis. The administration has also restricted cooking activities in households due to safety concerns, leading to a food crisis in the affected locality. Residents have expressed resentment over the lack of adequate food supply arrangements by ONGC.
Locals have further alleged that such incidents are recurring due to the failure of ONGC to replace old and deteriorated pipelines on time. They warned that continued negligence could lead to a major disaster in the region.
Meanwhile, the Geleki regional unit of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has issued a strong warning, stating that if the gas leakage is not stopped immediately, they will launch a movement to halt all drilling and production activities at ONGC’s Geleki oil field.
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