Written by: Srijaa Chatterjee
Edited by: Akrit Agarwal
Designed by: Aadhaar Agarwal
The Assam oil explosion has become a major topic of discussion across national news ever since its initial triggering on the 27th of May. Oil India Limited (OIL) successfully diverted the uncontrolled release of natural gas from the well, managing to tame a fire that had been raging for the last three months. The aftermath has been devastating, leaving several hundred families stranded and struggling to regain their previously flourishing financial positions, and has been further worsened by the pandemic.
The diversion – taking place on Sunday – occurred a hundred days after the primary blowout, with a series of subsequent fires on the 9th of June, which, left unchecked, created havoc in the region. Amid the chaos, ongoing investigations suggest the fires stemmed from human negligence, though that offers little solace to the victims and their families. A ‘well-killing’ operation is underway, discontinuing the usage of well number five in Baghjan.
Though the company is facing little to no backlash, the national broadcasts have been of immense help in raising awareness about the current situation of citizens of Guwahati. In retrospect, regardless of the mass effort put in by the media and foreign aid from a certain Singaporean authority , the sheer amount of time taken to reel in the fires points to the incompetence of OIL in handling (or mishandling) grave situations.
An electrical engineer working with Oil India Limited died of electrocution on September 9th, while testing a wire connected to the well under question. The fatalities included six hundred families and extended to three foreign exports who suffered as a consequence of the Baghjan blowout. With the arrival of the pandemic and highly publicized news like Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide sweeping the nation, the Assam explosions did not attract as much attention as they deserved, further contributing to the deteriorating situations of the affected families.
The consequences have been far-reaching and disastrous. District management and OIL authorities, meanwhile, have been devising possible solutions to the financial crisis, taking into account the impact of the diversion on local residents. Environmental assessments highlighted the urgency of the situation, though tremors in and around the site have long since subsided to an acceptable level. The involvement of the National Green Tribunal ensures quick damage control, with the formation of a committee of eight experts keeping tabs on both the reaction of the ecosystem as well as the effect on the residents. Residents are currently residing at two relief camp sites, in areas designated by the states.
In the past several weeks, protests by villagers at drilling and workover locations of OIL have severely impacted the production and sales of natural gas and oil, disrupting over 13 OIL and 5 natural wells in the vicinity. The immediate focus should be on the wellbeing of those affected, and numerous donation points and petitions have been initiated in order to achieve the same. The fate of Oil India Limited is yet to be decided, but thus far, the pressing matter at hand is establishing a system that offers complete support to those suffering.
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