Baghjan inferno still rages on: 2 bodies of OIL employees recovered

OUR CORRESPONDENTS

DIBRUGARH/ TINSUKIA: NDRF personnel, on Wednesday, fished out the oil-coated bodies of two Assistant Operators of OIL (Oil India Limited) belonging to the Fire & Emergency Services from a natural water reservoir close to the Baghjan oil well blast site. Both had gone missing immediately after the blast that took place at around 1.14 pm on June 9. Gas has been spewing uncontrollably from the Baghjan well since the blowout on May 27.

Meanwhile, agencies have reported that two staffers of OIL have been suspended for alleged negligence of duty in the gas well blowout. It has also issued a show cause notice to John Energy Pvt Ltd — the outsourced private operator of the gas well. "The company is carrying out an internal inquiry, and we have placed two officials responsible for the well under suspension. Once the probe is over, we will take a final decision on their role," the official said. Earlier, a five-member inquiry committee was formed by OIL. Actions would be initiated on employees of the company if there was any prima facie evidence of human error, an official said.

The deceased duo has been identified as Durlav Gogoi and Tikheswar Gohain. Durlav Gogoi (36) — son of Bhaba Gogoi, hailing from No 1 Dilli Duwania Gaon of Namrup in Dibrugarh district — was a goalkeeper in OIL's football team. Tikheswar Gohain (57) is son of Thuleswar Gohain of Bogdung Mudoi Gaon of Chabua in Dibrugarh district.

Both reportedly jumped into oil-spilled water body to avoid the inferno. Though the bodies bore burns marks, it is suspected that they died due to asphyxiation.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has extended his condolences over the death of two OIL employees, and said that they both made supreme sacrifice for the greater interest of the society. He has directed for completing the last rites of both the deceased with full State honours. The Chief Minister also urged the Petroleum Minister to offer employment to one family member each of both the families apart from providing adequate compensation.

Assuring that the government was standing by the people of Baghjan in this hour of crisis, the Chief Minister said that both the Centre and the State would take all possible steps for relief, rescue and rehabilitation of the affected families.

Four persons — two from OIL, one each from ONGC and a contractor — sustained minor injuries and given immediate medical help.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sonowal, on Wednesday, telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him about the latest developments regarding Baghjan oil well explosion incident. The Prime Minister assured all help towards the people in the affected area.

Informing that the intensity of fire has decreased from yesterday, Sonowal said that the foreign experts have expressed optimism that fire would be controlled and they have sought a few days for the same. Union Petroleum Minister, along with the experts of his Ministry, was monitoring the whole situation and the experts of OIL, ONGC would be able to bring the situation under control soon, he said.

During the day, Union Minister of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan also conducted a video conferencing meeting with the OIL teams at Duliajan and Baghjan and took stock of the ground-level situation of the fire from the OIL team at Baghjan. The Union Minister advised OIL to take immediate action in providing all necessary support to the affected people in the fire. He also advised them to take steps to control further spread of the fire.

State Minister of Industries and Commerce, Chandra Mohan Patowary — who came to Tinsukia at the advice of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal — had detailed discussion with the CMD, OIL, Sushil Kumar Mishra in presence of Tinsukia DC Bhaskar Pegu. Mishra apprised the Minister about the present status of the blowout and the action initiated by OIL till date.

The OIL CMD has constituted four teams – Technical, Arrangements and providing facilities, Relief and Rehabilitation and other issues for effective execution of measures in the current crisis.

Meanwhile, experts team from M/s Alert Disaster, Singapore visited the gas well site at Baghjan along with the teams of OIL and ONGC on Wednesday morning to prepare a roadmap for the next course of action after a thorough assessment of the actual situation.

OIL's latest update reveals that fire tenders are spraying water to check the inferno from spreading in the surrounding areas. This measure will be augmented further after OIL's bid to arrange another additional source of water for fire control is completed.

The District Administration has shifted all the affected people from the surrounding areas to 12 relief camps set up at a safe distance from the affected site. Food and other basic needs are being made available to them on a regular basis.

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