Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to take swift and decisive action in response to the gas leak that has persisted for six days at an ONGC rig site in Bhatiyapara, located in the Sivasagar district.
On Wednesday, CM Sarma took to X (formerly Twitter) to express concern about the situation. “I conveyed our concerns about the Barichuk gas blowout to Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @HardeepSPuri ji,” he wrote. “I have requested that he direct @ONGC_ to intensify its well control operations on a mission mode to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.”
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In his letter to the Union Minister, Sarma pointed out that despite ONGC’s current efforts, such as water blanketing, high-volume mud pumping, and deploying junk shots, the pressure at the affected well remains dangerously high, raising fear among residents in nearby villages.
He emphasized that the incident’s prolonged nature has heightened public distress, with over 330 families already evacuated. The state government has stepped in to provide these families with emergency relief and essential support.
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Sarma did not hold back in criticizing ONGC’s response, stating that the public perceives the company’s actions as slow and lacking urgency. He contrasted this with the more aggressive, war-footing approach taken during similar crises in the past. He also remarked that ONGC’s current strategy seems overly procedural and lacks visibility.
Following his visit to the affected well site and relief camp on June 16, the Chief Minister assured displaced residents that he would escalate their concerns. In his appeal to the Union Minister, he called for ONGC to strengthen its technical leadership at the site, adopt a more focused and time-bound approach, and engage more effectively with the affected communities to rebuild public trust and bring the situation under control.
While the Assam government continues to provide immediate relief to those affected, Sarma stressed the need for ONGC to adopt a more proactive and transparent stance to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy.