Assam forest department has constituted an expert committee comprising government officials and scientists to assess the impact of the blow out of an oil well operated by the Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan in Tinsukia district.
The blowout that occurred on May 27 continues to leak gas and oil making the scenario worse in its surrounding areas. Environmentalists and locals have already expressed their fear for the threat it can lead to the flora and fauna.
The committee will also suggest measures for immediate necessary action and it will submit the report by June 10.
“Its (blowout) impacts on environment, forests, wildlife and ecology need to be assessed immediately in order to protect habitat and entire biodiversity of the national park including humans and their livestock within (forest village) and in the fringe area of the national park,” said a top official of the forest department.
The site is surrounded by Maguri Motapung Beel and Dibru Saikhowa National park is also nearby.
The expert committee will also undertake similar impact assessment in the notified eco-sensitive zone of Dibru-Saikhowa national park.
“The expert committee will assess the damage already caused or likely to cause to the habitat, biodiversity and environment in terms of quantity and value,” said the official.
The OIL has roped in foreign experts to engage at the site. Experts from Singapore were supposed to land at the site on June 3.
