HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, June 25: The Assam Pollution Control Board (APCB) has issued a show cause notice to the Chief General Manager (Drilling), ONGC Assam Asset, directing the company to explain why Environmental Compensation should not be imposed for operating rig number RDS 147A at Barichuk Bhatiapar without obtaining the mandatory Consent to Establish (CTE) and Consent to Operate (CTO).
The rig has been spewing gas since June 12, posing environmental and public health concerns.
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The APCB has cited violations under various provisions of the Water and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Acts and the Environment (Protection) Act.
According to the notice issued by Jayanta Dutta, Regional Head of APCB, Sivasagar, the board is empowered under an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) dated February 19, 2019, in OA No. 593/2017, to levy Environmental Compensation for such violations.
The APCB stated that ONGC had “nonchalantly violated the provisions of law,” causing pollution and endangering public safety.
Exercising powers under Section 33(A) of the Water Act, 1974, and Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the board directed ONGC to respond within 15 days from the date of issue of the notice.
The gas leak from the RDS 147A well led to the evacuation of nearby residents and raised fears of a blowout.
Experts have indicated possible procedural lapses by private contractor SK Petro in handling the well.
A three-member expert team from the United States is currently working to cap the well, though torrential rains and rising water levels of the Dikhow River have hampered operations.
The Crisis Management Team (CMT) has kept the RCMT (Reliability-Centred Maintenance Turbine) pump running to maintain a water blanket over the gas outflow, helping to suppress pollutant dispersion.
Jayanta Dutta confirmed that noise pollution remains high within a 500-metre radius due to the continuous gas discharge and pump operations.
The water blanket has helped bring down natural gas particles to the ground, mitigating some environmental impact.
ONGC has set up two medical camps in the affected area. Residents have reported symptoms such as eye irritation, dizziness, and sleeplessness, allegedly due to the ongoing gas outburst.
