Closure notice on Baghjan oilfield to be lifted soon: OIL

The Oil India Limited (OIL) on Monday claimed that the closure notice served by Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) is on the verge of being lifted.

A statement issued by OIL's spokesperson Tridiv Hazarika said OIL CMD held discussion with PCBA chairperson on the closure notice and it is about to be lifted.

The PCBA recently directed OIL to close down all the production as well as drilling operations of all installations in Baghjan oilfield for not following the pollution control guidelines.

In its closure notice, the PCBA said, “ It is seen that you have not been submitting the Annual Report regularly under Section 9 of the Hazardous & Other waste (Management & Trans boundary movement ) rules, 2016, which is a serious violation and liable to be punished under the Law al force. Whereas, Pollution Control Board, Assam have refused your request for extension of time for reply to the showcause notice issued to you on June 10, 2020.”

The closure notice was served amid the blowout in a gas well under Baghjan oilfield in Eastern Assam's Tinsukia district on May 27 and the fire since June 9. The fire at the gas well was still to be doused even on Monday with experts from Singapore, Canada, the US and Australia taking steps to cap the gas well.

The fire caused much damage to local residents as well as the environment. Nearly 10,000 affected people are still in relief camps.

Army has already constructed a baily bridge over the water body near the mishap site and materials were being transported for caping the well.