The natural gas leakage from the Bhatiapar crude oil well continues for 15 days, even though the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), along with an expert team from the USA, continues working for full dousing of the RDS-147A under the Rudrasagar oilfield in Sivasagar district of eastern Assam.

The blowout began on June 12, 2025, from the well, which was under the operation of a private firm named SK Petro Services, and uncontrolled leakage compelled nearly 350 families to leave their places for safety reasons. Besides the local villagers living near the old well, the high-pressure gas flow impacted the surrounding environment heavily.

Lately, the ONGC issued a statement claiming that ‘significant progress in controlling the well at RDS-147A’ was made.

It also added that the gas was non-toxic and the volume had reduced, posing no extra risk to the villagers living beyond a 500-metre radius.

Recently, the State pollution authority issued a show-cause notice to the ONGC for the activities carried out without securing necessary environmental clearances. Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA), in a notice issued on June 21, accused the largest crude oil and natural gas exploration and drilling company in India of operating at well number 147 (Bhatiapar–Barichuk area) without securing the mandatory Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO) under a number of environmental legislations.

The PCBA gave the ONGC authority two weeks to explain why action should not be taken against it. If it fails to respond within the stipulated period, the PCBA (under the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal) may impose Environmental Compensation Fines (ECF) and other penalties against the ONGC.

Speaking to this writer, PCBA chairman Er Arup Kr Mishra informed that the responsible board officials had confirmed the uncontrolled gas flow from RDS-147A, causing pollution to the local environment.

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The visiting scientists from the PCBA’s central laboratory and RLO-Sivasagar to the location detected that the ONGC authority had neither taken CTE/CTO for the RDS-147A work-over drill site nor even intimated the board, stated Mishra, adding that the ONGC Limited, Assam Asset was intimated with various provisions under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1981, the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act 1974, the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2016, and the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, which were violated while operating a ‘Work Over Drill Site RD147-A’.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, after visiting the site, announced an aid of Rs 25,000 per affected family.

Expressing concern over the incident, Sarma urged the ONGC authority to act with a mission mode to control the unabated gas flow. He also drew the attention of Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, urging for prompt actions considering the safety of local villagers.

Meanwhile, a series of protests erupted in the locality against the negligence shown by the ONGC and SK Petro Services.

The agitators belonging to Asomiya Yuba Manch, All Assam Tai Ahom Students’ Union, Anusuchita Jati Chatra Santha, Sangrami Sena, etc., also demanded adequate compensation to local residents for the loss in agriculture and long-term general health.

Many residents are worried about the incident after recollecting the worrisome memory of the Baghjan catastrophic gas and oil leak, which caught fire subsequently.

Well number 5 of the Oil India Limited (OIL) experienced the gas discharge on May 27, 2020, and it caught fire on June 9, making the accident one of the worst industrial disasters in India.

The gas flow and fire were completely doused on November 15, with the help of an expert team from Canada.

The disaster claimed three human lives, the sudden evacuation of over 9,000 families (and subsequent loss of properties and livelihoods), and damaged thousands of hectares belonging to the Maguri-Motapung wetland and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, etc.

The destroyed ecosystem will probably need decades to regain its original form. But one can remember, a Guwahati-based journalist (now a popular talk-show host) wrote in a prime English daily newspaper soon after the disaster, asserting that the nature in Baghjan had already returned to its original shape.

He also criticised the affected villagers for mishandling the compensation from the OIL authority. No wonder, a public demonstration was organised by local villagers, terming the journalist a tout of the oil company for personal gains. It was another kind of disaster for the Asomiya society after the Baghjan tragedy indeed!

Nonetheless, it’s time for India to have an efficient response team to deal with disasters of such magnitudes and avoid national embarrassment in the coming days.

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