Six policemen, among many injured at Baghjan oil blowout site

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: The vexed Baghjan oil blowout compensation issue took an ugly turn on Saturday when the police resorted to lathi-charge and fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to disperse 11 protesters who were opposing the lifting of OIL's costly machinery from the blowout site. The incident left several persons, including 6 police personnel, injured.

The situation turned violent after the protesters retaliated with stone-pelting and bamboo shards in which some police personnel sustained injuries. The police then lobbed tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets. Among those injured critically are Kehubor Hazarika, Nandeswar Borah, Rantu Moran, Binod Moran, Prakash Hazarika and Barnali Moran. They are in Tinsukia Civil Hospital. The protesters also damaged a multi-purpose fire tender vehicle of OIL.

After capping the blowout oil well on November 15 last year, OIL authorities tried to remove the heavy equipment costing around Rs 3 crore from the site for their use in other sites. Several rounds of tripartite negotiations took place. However, the affected families did not allow the removal of the equipment even as the Tinsukia District Administration assured OIL of assistance in lifting equipment.

The protestors claimed that the police arrested two youths – Deep Saikia and Manoj Hazarika.

OIL's DGM (CSR&CC) Tridiv Hazarika regretted the incident said that there was no compensation issue pending as it had paid Rs 103 crore, besides Rs 53 lakh to the affected families. He said OIL had to cough up Rs 30 lakh per month during the past eight months towards the hiring charge for 170 heavy-duty composite mats.

Hazarika said that OIL is ready to pay any amount as further compensation as deemed justifiable to the Tinsukia District Administration.

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