Cash relief but oil well blowout unchecked
Oil India Limited on Friday announced an immediate financial relief of Rs 30,000 for each family affected by the May 27 oil well blowout, which continued to spout crude and natural gas at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
Local people, who observed World Environment Day by planting a sapling wrapped in a black polythene sheet to mark the blowout’s toll on life and livelihood, told The Telegraph that they would accept the relief but go on pressing for a “reasonable amount”.
On Thursday, residents had marched near the blowout site demanding Rs 5,000 a day per family till the blowout was fixed.
Oil India said the 10-day-old blowout remained uncontrolled and that three experts from a Singapore-based firm, Alert Disaster Control, would arrive by June 7 evening to try and cap it.
