The Assam gas well blowout which took place on May 27 and has been continuously leaking condensed oil and gas, will take at least four weeks to be completely restored. Oil India Limited (OIL) gas well blowout in Upper Assam¡¯s Tinsukia district, caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, with authorities swinging into action to contain the blaze.
Two firefighters of Oil India have died near the site of a massive oil well fire in Assam. According to reports, the two were missing and their bodies were found near the well at a wetland.?
The fire was so intense that it could be seen from as far as 10 km away. The Air Force has sent three fire engines to control the blaze and the Army has also reached the area.
Additionally, there are violent protests from the locals around the site. OIL has made a request to the chief secretary, Assam, and Tinsukia district administration for maintaining law and order at the site.
Baghjan, where the gas blowout took place, is located adjacent to Dibru Saikhowa National Park; Maguri-Motapung wetlands and forest villages of Barekuri -- a habitat to the endangered Hoolock Gibbon.
¡°We¡¯ve written a letter to the Assam forest department for a report on the situation. Besides, we¡¯ve asked a team from the Wildlife Institute of India, which is posted there for some other projects, to make an assessment and give us a report. The cause of concern is that the gas well is still leaking,¡± Soumitra Dasgupta, additional director-general (wildlife), Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) told Hindustan Times.
Local wildlife activists are concerned about the biodiversity of the region saying that it could be lost and the oil and gas have leaked to numerous important sites.
The fragile ecology is at stake. The village grasslands are already soaked in condensed oil from the blowout and have caught fire.?
The area near Baghjan is a biodiversity hotspot and has some of India's most endangered birds such as the White-winged wood duck, the Bengal Florican, and White-bellied heron.