Assam: Activist Urges Govt To Withdraw OIL R&D Centre In Dibru-Saikhowa

TINSUKIA: In a significant move, environmentalist Apurba Ballav Goswami urged the central government to withdraw its approval for an Oil India Limited (OIL) R&D centre in the eco-sensitive zone of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

The park, a protected biosphere reserve since 1997, is home to endangered species like the white-winged wood duck, Gangetic dolphin, Bengal florican, and the iconic feral horses. But now, its fragile ecosystem faces new threats.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change received a formal appeal slamming the decision on March 27 from Goswami, who is based in Golaghat. He cited the devastating 2020 Baghjan oil well blowout—just 1.6 km from the park—that led to a 41% loss in vegetation and wildlife destruction.

Questioning the Forest Advisory Committee's call to approve this plan in January 2025, when a commercial drilling proposal in the same area was rejected in 2024 due to Supreme Court orders banning mining near protected areas, Goswami issued a warning and described how allowing this project undermines years of conservation work.

"Why Dibru-Saikhowa? Other oil giants have set up R&D centres in industrial zones with far less environmental impact,” he said while raising eyebrows over the motives behind the project, suggesting it could be a backdoor attempt to push future drilling operations.

Goswami is calling for an independent environmental assessment with full local participation—and for the government to hit pause before it’s too late in response to the mounting pressure.

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