Guwahati: The Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA) has directed Oil India Limited (OIL) to close down production and drilling operations of all installations of Baghjan oilfield in Tinsukia district.
The closure notice comes in the wake of Baghjan tragedy earlier this month, in which two people were killed and thousands injured or affected.
After a blowout was reported on May 27 at well No. 5 of Baghjan oilfield, the well caught fire on June 9.
“We had earlier (on June 10) issued a showcause notice to OIL. They had asked us for an extension of time to reply. But we issued the closure notice after one week,” said chairman, Pollution Control Board Assam (PCBA), Y Suryanarayana.
He informed that the notice applies to all wells under the Baghjan oilfield.
As per the closure notice, OIL has been operating Baghjan oil field installation “without obtaining prior consent to establish/consent to operate from Pollution Control Board Assam, which is a serious violation of the provisions of the Water Act, 1974, Air Act, 1981 as well as Environment Protection Act, 1986.”
“It is mandatory to obtain prior permission / clearance from MoEF&CC as well as State PCB for production, drilling, pumping of crude oil and laying pipeline activities as per EIA notification, 2006 and various provisions under the Section 25/26 of the Water (Prevention of Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Section 21 of the Air (Prevention of Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Authorization under the Hazardous & other waste (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 as amended upto date” said the notice.
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