Assam: AATSA protests eviction at Deopani TE, stops oil and gas exploration

A CORRESPONDENT

NAZIRA: The All Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (AATSA) staged a strong protest against the alleged eviction of tea garden workers and the cutting of mature tea plants for crude oil and natural gas exploration by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Assam Asset, at Deopani tea estate under the Geleki Oilfield in Nazira co-district.

ONGC, one of the major Maharatna public sector enterprises in the Northeast, has been extracting crude oil and natural gas from Assam’s underground reserves, contributing significantly to the country’s economy. However, the organisation’s alleged activities in several tea gardens of Upper Assam have raised serious concerns over the livelihood and future of tea garden workers.

AATSA alleged that ONGC has been undertaking oil and gas exploration by clearing portions of tea gardens without making adequate arrangements for the rehabilitation of affected workers or safeguarding the educational future of their children. The organisation strongly opposed the cutting of mature tea plants and the use of heavy machinery such as JCBs, excavators, and dumpers for clearing tea garden areas.

On Saturday, the Sivasagar district committee of AATSA organised a protest at Deopani tea estate demanding an immediate halt to the cutting of thousands of mature tea plants and the alleged eviction drive.

More than a thousand office-bearers and activists from the Nazira and Amguri branches of AATSA participated in the protest. During the demonstration, the protesters reportedly stopped several JCBs, excavators, dumpers, and other vehicles belonging to an ONGC contractor from carrying out the clearing operation and sent them back.

The protesters demanded proper rehabilitation of the affected tea garden workers, payment of adequate compensation, and an immediate end to activities that threaten the livelihood of the tea garden community.

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