Environmentalists slam OIL for manually cleaning condensate in Maguri-Motapung Beel

TINSUKIA: Contrary to the Chief Minister's directives to use state-of-the-art technology to clean the condensate and oil-spilled Maguri-Motapung Beel, the OIL engaged a few country-made boats with some personnel to scoop out the condensate manually even as high speed skimming vessels with skimmer devices are being used globally. The Maguri-Motapung Beel is a vast wetland and home to several species of resident and migratory birds that receive water support from channels through backwater of Dangori River in upstream and Dibru River in downstream.

Local environmentalists said that such an attempt by OIL to clean the condensate was just an eyewash and ridiculous on the part of OIL. The OIL must have been waiting for monsoon to arrive with the expectation that flood water would wash away the oil into the river, not knowing that the backwater would drive the condensate back into human settlement nearby like Motapung, Nutangaon and greater Barekuri areas to create additional havoc for the villagers during flood when rivers would be in high spate, said a local environmental activist.

Meanwhile, Imphal-based Youth's Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR), in a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, sought urgent intervention on impact of oil spill caused by Oil India Limited at Baghjan which has caused serious threat to humans, animals, biodiversity, flora and fauna and livelihood. It stated that around 1,610 families had taken shelter in a school. But after a night of horror, some became eager to return to their homes as the sanitary condition in the relief camp was not hygienic and up to the mark, it alleged.

To tap the oil and gas resources, OIL came up with a so-called state-of-the-art technology called Extended Reach Drill (ERD). The ERD was glorified to be a safe technology to extract hydrocarbon from Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. However, ERD has been observed as a failure, the memorandum stated. It requested the NHRC to initiate an independent investigation against OIL for its failure and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for providing environment clearance while knowing the fact that the area was located within the wildlife sanctuary.

The YFPHR urged NHRC to direct the Government of Assam to provide proper rehabilitation and compensation of the villagers impacted by the oil spill, to restore their livelihood and health and to urgently clean up the village areas, water bodies and air contaminated by the oil spill, besides directing OIL to immediately stop further oil exploration and drilling in Assam and across India's Northeast which has eco-sensitive and fragile biodiversity zones.

Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 18th June, 2020