The Aftereffects in Assam
On 27 May 2020, the village of Baghjan in Assam suffered a blowout - an uncontrolled oil spill that occurred because of a failure in the pressure systems situated off an oil well run by state-owned Oil India Limited (OIL). The continuous release of oil and gases displaced multiple families that had to take refuge in a nearby school which affected social distancing during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The gas leak had a large impact on the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and the Maguri-Motapung wetland, which is part of the eco-sensitive zone. After two weeks of continuous gas leaks, the wetland engulfed into flames. The fire and gases had a catastrophic effect on the environment and biodiversity. The wetland shelters 80 fish species, and 300 bird species each year, out of which six are vulnerable species, two endangered and six critically endangered. Even though the wetland prevented the fire from reaching the village on the other side, it bore almost all the damage which resulted in a substantial loss of biodiversity. Even though this incident wasn’t showcased by mainstream media, many environmental activists have spread awareness. Niranta Gohain, an environmental activist based in Tinsukia: “This is the bird nesting season and fish breeding season. The oil spill has had an adverse effect on biodiversity - especially because this is an eco-sensitive zone.” The Chief Minister of Assam received all the support he needed to get the fire under control, he was assured of all kinds of assistance and was told the Air Force was on standby.
Thankfully, after two days of constant burning, the fire was extinguished. There will be some inspections and inquiries which will take place to get a clearer picture of what exactly happened. When The Wire reached out to the Dibrugarh district administration, an official stated that, “the inquiry is underway. Once it is complete, we will get a picture of what exactly happened.” We are eagerly awaiting more information.