ATTSA and ATTWA protest at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) HQ of Assam

A CORRESPONDENT

NAZIRA: Normal functioning at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Assam Asset headquarters in Nazira came to a complete standstill following a massive sit-in protest staged by the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) and the Assam Tea Tribes Women’s Association (ATTWA) on December 24.

The protest was organized in opposition to the eviction of tea gardens for oil and gas exploration and production activities, and against the failure of ONGC to fulfil promises made to the tea community after such evictions. The tea industry, which has played a vital role in introducing Assam to the global economy, is now facing what protestors described as systematic destruction. Demonstrators alleged that ONGC, a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking, has been carrying out oil and gas extraction in tea garden areas, thereby displacing the tea community and threatening their primary source of livelihood.

While acknowledging ONGC’s significant contribution to the national economy, protestors claimed that in Assam, the corporation’s activities had led to the eviction of tea garden land, pushing the tea community towards economic and social marginalization.

According to ATTSA and ATTWA, ONGC had made several assurances in exchange for acquiring tea garden land, including employment for educated unemployed youth from the tea community, and free admission to professional courses such as D-Pharma, ANM, and GNM. However, these promises have allegedly remained unfulfilled for years.

Following the protest, a memorandum containing a seven-point charter of demands was submitted to the Executive Director of ONGC Assam Asset. The demands include making D-Pharma, ANM, and GNM courses completely free as announced by ONGC and the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, construction of a 2-kilometre road to the GKB ZED oil well, ending alleged deception related to land acquired in 1992 from Ligiri Pukhuri tea estate for establishing Delhi Public School and a golf club, for which several promises remain unfulfilled, ensuring 60 percent recruitment of educated unemployed youth from the tea community in the New GGS-2 establishment, upgrading the Shivbari tea garden hospital, establishing a library at Hatipatti tea garden, and providing one ambulance to each tea garden located in oilfield areas. The memorandum was submitted under the signatures of ATTSA Nazira branch President Sanjay Gowala and Acting Secretary Ramesh Karmakar. They warned that if their demands were not implemented, the organizations would be forced to launch more intense protests, including a complete shutdown of ONGC operations.

 Also Read: Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) Demow branch submits memo over liquor circulation