After nearly 15 yrs, Assam oil field resumes operations

Guwahati, Aug 21

After almost 15 years, state-owned Oil India Limited's (OIL) Khagorijan oil field in eastern Assam's Dibrugarh started operation on Saturday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the ceremonial function of resumption of Khagorijan oil field of OIL at Rohmoria, operations of which were suspended since November 2007 due to administrative and environmental issues.

According to the Chief Minister, four wells were drilled after oil was discovered in the area in November 1998 and production started in December 2004, including Khagorijan located 1.8 km from the Brahmaputra.

Due to severe erosion of Brahmaputra river, various local organisations of Khagorijan area obstructed OIL's operations in that area. After prolonged blockade by the local organisations, the OIL suspended all its operations in November 2007.

The Chief Minister said that erosion caused by Brahmaputra river at Rohmoria has severely affected the local people and caused large-scale devastation.

Aiming a lasting and permanent solution to the problem, several efforts have been made during the past many years but due to various reasons it could not be materialised, Sarma said.

He said that the state government has taken up several steps to deal with the flood and erosion problem of Rohmoria and the Water Resources Department almost completed two flood and erosion protection projects at Rohmoria.

Claiming that so far 80 per cent work of the embankment for protection of Rohmoria has been completed, the Chief Minister announced that the state government would sanction an additional fund of Rs 16.13 crore for the construction of the remaining stretch of the embankment.

The Chief Minister asked the Water Resources department to ensure quality work using advanced technology.

He also requested the local residents to cooperate with OIL in its operations as the company serves the interests of the people of Assam and its smooth operation and extraction of oil led to the development of the state.

Sarma laid the foundation stone of two projects worth Rs 17 crore for protection of Rohmoria from flood and erosion.

The projects include restoration of flood damages by Brahmaputra river from Liting gaon to Rohmoria gaon and at Rohmoria from Higher Secondary School to Borotichuk.