Assam govt announces Rs 25,000 aid each to 350 families affected by blowout

Dibrugarh (Assam), Jun 17 (PTI) The Assam government on Tuesday announced a financial aid of Rs 25,000 each to about 350 families affected by a blowout at an ONGC crude oil well in Sivasagar district, with the release of gases continuing for the sixth day.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while announcing the aid, said Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri held a meeting with top officials in Delhi earlier in the day regarding the blowout, and both the state and central governments were seized of the matter.

The blowout began on June 12 at well no. RDS 147 of rig no. SKP 135 of Rudrasagar oil field of ONGC at Barichuk of Bhatiapar. A private firm, SK Petro Services, was operating the well on behalf of the state-run Maharatna company.

Sarma, who had on Monday evening visited the people affected by the incident, said, "There are about 350 families in the camp and they are anxious... Compensation will be worked out later. For immediate relief, we will be providing Rs 25,000 each to the families from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund." He said Puri held a meeting at his office to discuss the matter.

"I will have a video conference with him once I reach Guwahati," Sarma said.

Sarma said the state's chief secretary spoke to the ONGC chairman in the morning regarding the matter and the top boss of the company will be personally visiting Sivasagar.

"ONGC has said that they have already invited a specialist from the US and they are hopeful that the leakage will be stopped soon. Our chief secretary has spoken to the Union petroleum secretary as well and he has assured of taking all steps," he added.

The chief minister said the details of compensation to the affected people will be worked out later, with stopping the leakage being the top priority now.

"If required, the state government will provide more financial assistance and I will also visit the place again," he added.

Meanwhile, members of regional organisation Bir Lachit Sena gheraoed the office of SK Petro Services in Sivasagar on Tuesday and demanded compensation for the affected people.

"The ONGC will pay its compensation. But the firm cannot wash off its hand. It must provide assistance to the people in the area," Bir Lachit Sena leader Srinkhal Chaliha said.

ONGC had said on Monday said it has deployed the "most experienced" crisis management team to control the discharge of gas.

The district administration said that air pollution is still within the acceptable limit and the local office of Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) is closely monitoring the situation.

An ONGC official had earlier said that it was an old crude well without production and a perforation job was going on for zone transfer at the time of the blowout.

"It is a kind of servicing of the well. The production was supposed to start from a new zone after the perforation job. At the time of the incident, the logging perforation operation was going on. Suddenly gas started coming out in an uncontrolled manner immediately after the perforation, leading to the blowout," he had added. PTI SSG SSG ACD