Assam Government sanctions relief fund

Baghjan oil field fire: Assam government sanctions Rs 50 lakh for relief of displaced people, OIL will initially provide Rs 30,000 to each family

Guwahati, June 11: Assam government has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for relief to the people who were displaced from their homes in the fire incident took place at a gas well of Baghjan oil field in Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The state Revenue and Disaster Management department has sanctioned the amount for immediate relief to the people of Baghjan area.

Around 7000 people have been evacuated from the surrounding areas and shifted them to 12 relief camps.

State Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management department Jogen Mohan said that the state government has initially sanctioned Rs 50 lakh to give relief to the people.

We have directed the Deputy Commissioner and district administration of Tinsukia to take adequate measures for providing all facilities to the people. Today, my department has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for the people of Baghjan. I am regularly contacting the Deputy Commissioners and took stock the situation,” Jogen Mohan said.

The Assam minister also said that the people who lost their properties in the fire incident will get compensation.

On the other hand, Oil India Limited will provide Rs 30,000 to each family of the people who were displaced from their homes and are living in the relief camps.

The decision was taken during a meeting held on Wednesday in presence of Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and OIL officials.

The amount will be deposited by Oil India to the bank account of the district administration and subsequently will be disbursed to the affected families and it is an initial and partial compensation as an immediate relief measure.

In the meeting, it was also decided that that the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia district will make an assessment of the loss of property following the mishap at the oil well and after the assessment, the amount of compensation will be paid by OIL and Assam government.

During the Minister’s discussion with DC and SP of Tinsukia, Oil India’s CMD assured the Assam minister that the fire at the well site will be doused within 21 days.

CMD also informed the Minister that the two firemen of OIL who lost their lives would be posthumously given a bravery award by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and Oil India will give Rs 1 crore to Tikheswar Gohain’s family and Rs 60 lakh to the family of Durlov Gogoi based on their years of service at Oil India.

Both the families would receive a pension and other financial benefits and one elected member from each family would be given a job in Oil India.

On the other hand, the two firefighters who lost their lives while battling the massive blaze were cremated with state honours on Wednesday night at their respective native villages.