Baghjan tragedy

Needless to say, the sufferings in Baghjan, situated in Tinsukia district, have been immense since the blowout
Baghjan tragedy

Needless to say, the sufferings in Baghjan, situated in Tinsukia district, have been immense since the blowout that occurred in an oil rig owned by Oil India Limited which was being maintained by a private firm, John Energy Ltd. Adding to the woes, the tragedy turned inconsolable when the fire broke out on 9th June after over more than a fortnight of the gas leakage, taking the lives of two OIL firemen. Knowingly, hundreds of families of the nearby villages had already been evacuated to camps. However, human abodes, greeneries, animals, and blue habitats badly got destroyed and its implications would remain for long, while the ecosystem would take many years to normalize. As such, habitations and livelihood of the denizens have hit pathetically and would continue to remain grim for years. The soil would remain unfertile for long, making impossible for any cultivation. Undoubtedly, here the responsibility lies with the OIL authority to provide huge compensations to each family besides the government. Reportedly, from the very next day, reliefs, in various forms, reached to the distressed people there; individuals and organizations such as the AASU and other unions, NGOs such as team 'Fact for Feed' and others, reached the camps with their altruistic motive, providing their helping hands to the denizens in whatever means they can; providing bread, biscuits and water, clothes, needy items, etc., for which, they deserve huge applause. However, interventions by the government are reported to have been ongoing, while people remain in much anticipation. Well, inquiries and investigations are yet to come to light about how the blowout happened, leading to an inferno and whom to hold responsible for the mishap. Well, before all, means should be found to douse the fire which is still burning endlessly in the site. Moreover, one must note that this is not the first time when mismatches in the oil sites have led to such a conflagration. Many times in the past have resulted in similar incidents, the explosion in the Dikom OIL wells located in the Dibrugarh district in 2005, recalls a similar unfortunate disaster of the recent past where the harms have not yet entirely replenished in those areas even years after. Lessons from the present and past should be learnt meticulously to prevent such incidents from happening ever in the future.

Karun Lama,

Keyan Pather, Dibrugarh 

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