Gauhati HC Issues Notice to OIL over Drilling Inside Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Gauhati HC Issues Notice to OIL 

The Gauhati High Court has issued a notice to the Centre, Assam government, Oil India Limited (OIL) and different agencies directing them to file their responses within two weeks against the impugned Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification which violates the mandate of public hearing.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed by Advocate Mrinmoy Khataniar and mountaineer Amar Jyoti Deka raising the environmental clearance issues over granting permission to Oil India Limited to drill seven wells inside the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.

The PIL also addresses the central government's approval to OIL for drilling inside the forest, which is very rich in biodiversity, by amending existing norms like public hearing under the draft Environment Impact Assessment Notification 2020.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had accorded environmental clearance to OIL for drilling and testing of hydrocarbons at seven locations under Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, located northwest of Baghjan.

It may be recalled that on May 27, the BGR 5 well spewed hydrocarbons across a huge radius raining the adjoining villages in Baghjan with associated condensate. The blowout caught fire on 9th June when well control experts from Alert Disaster Control had arrived at the scene to begin work on capping the well. The well is continuing to rage. The fire has caused massive destruction to personal property and the environment.

OIL has not been able to douse the fire even after 5 months and it is expected that the operation may take two to three weeks to "kill" the well.

The locals have protested against OIL and the issue of lack of public hearing has been taken up the by agitators. Satyajit Moran of the Baghjan Gaon Milanjyoti Juba Sangha said that majority of the population including the indigenous communities have not accepted the public hearing. He further alleged that OIL was influencing the public hearing.

However, OIL refuted the allegations. "We have done four public hearings and everything has been done as per the norms," said Tridiv Hazarika, OIL spokesperson. He confirmed that OIL is preparing to respond to the PIL.

He added, "We have done nothing against the law. Years back there were not even provisions of public hearings but after that we have done as per the norms."