Gas Leak Incident in Assam Raises Alarm Among Residents
New Gas Leak Incident in Jorhat
Gas suddenly began escaping from a pit near a health camp site on Saturday
Jorhat, July 18: Just days after the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) reported that the gas leak at its Geleki oilfield in Assam's Sivasagar district had been controlled, a new gas leak occurred near a health camp site on Saturday, leading to a fire that caused panic among local residents.
This incident took place close to Surujmukhi Primary School, where a health camp was organized for individuals affected by the ongoing gas leak.
Witnesses stated that ONGC staff were present when the gas ignited. The fire was extinguished promptly after the fire brigade arrived at the scene.
In response to the incident, ONGC officials filled the pit with soil to prevent further gas escape.
A local resident expressed concern about the recurring nature of these incidents, stating he learned about the fire from others. He questioned who would be accountable if such events continue.
"I was informed about the fire by someone. Thankfully, ONGC officials were already on-site, and the fire brigade arrived quickly to control the blaze. But if these incidents keep happening, who will take responsibility?" he remarked.
This recent event has heightened worries among residents who have been dealing with the effects of the gas leak for over ten days, raising doubts about the efficiency of ONGC's response.
The leak was initially reported at Bishnupur Adarsha Gaon under Geleki and has since spread to various locations in the vicinity.
The resident also claimed that attempts to reach ONGC officials had been unsuccessful, despite previous assurances of a visit.
"The official in charge, Ishu Kumar, spoke to me for nearly half an hour yesterday and promised to visit today. However, despite calling him 10 to 12 times today, he did not answer. It is very unfortunate that even when we try to speak to the officials, we are not given the opportunity," the resident stated.
He further warned that the well in the area produces approximately 5,000 barrels of crude oil daily and cautioned about potentially severe consequences if the situation does not improve.
"If this continues, the entire Geleki area could face serious consequences, potentially leading to another disaster like Baghjan. ONGC claims it is naturally occurring gas. Even if we accept that, did such incidents occur before ONGC started operations here or only afterwards? Previously, the gas leak was confined to around 10 bighas of ONGC land. But now, gas has escaped outside the ONGC premises, near the kitchen area of Surujmukhi Primary School," he explained.
This latest incident follows ONGC's announcement that the leak at the Geleki oilfield had been contained.
Previously, ONGC had issued a statement on July 14, indicating that it had reviewed all available pipeline drawings and conducted a physical inspection of the area using underground pipeline-locating equipment.
The corporation stated that investigations ruled out the presence of any buried pipeline beneath or near the location where gas had been bubbling.
It was reported that the site was excavated and the pit sealed on July 13 using a chemical barite treatment followed by a cement-concrete mixture.
"Bubbling has subsided since the treatment. The situation remains stable and is under control," the statement had indicated.
However, the recent gas escape and subsequent fire near the health camp site have raised new concerns among residents regarding the effectiveness of the containment measures and the overall safety in the area.