An eastern Assam-based green activist has asked the Centre to revoke the permission granted to exploration major Oil India Limited (OIL) to establish a research and development centre in the eco-sensitive zone of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
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Designated a biosphere reserve in 1997, the national park covers 765 sq. km. straddling the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts. It has a core area of 340 sq. km., and is known for its feral horses.
On March 27, Golaghat-based environmentalist Apurba Ballav Goswami wrote to the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, saying setting up an R&D centre within the park’s eco-sensitive zone was a bad idea.
He said the Dibru-Saikhowa Eco-Sensitive Zone, recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot, is home to several endangered species, including the white-winged wood duck, the Gangetic dolphin, and the Bengal florican.
“The eco-sensitive zone, designated to buffer Dibru-Saikhowa’s delicate ecosystem, has already faced severe stress, as demonstrated by the 2020 Baghjan oil well blowout just 1.6 km away. That incident, caused by OIL’s operations, resulted in widespread ecological damage — 41% deterioration of vegetation, 25% rise in wetland chlorophyll-a levels, and significant loss of wildlife — underscoring the area’s vulnerability to industrial activity,” Mr. Goswami said.
He pointed out that the findings of the National Green Tribunal highlighted OIL’s failure to conduct mandatory biodiversity impact assessments after the blowout.
Given OIL’s track record, allowing it to establish the R&D centre in an ecologically fragile area could spell disaster for the region, Mr. Goswami said.
‘FAC contradictory’
Mr. Goswami said that in 2024, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) rejected a proposal for commercial drilling of seven wells inside the national park using the extended reach drilling technology. This decision was based on the Supreme Court’s orders from 2006 and 2023, prohibiting mining activities in and around national parks.
However, the FAC, which operates under the Environment Ministry, recommended on January 27 that OIL establish its R&D centre.
The environmentalist said approving a project after rejecting another in the same area raises questions about the government’s intentions. “The choice of Dibru-Saikhowa seems to be less about scientific necessity and more about circumventing prior rejections of commercial drilling,” he said.
Opposing the approval, he demanded a transparent and independent environmental impact assessment that includes input from local stakeholders before any proposals are considered.
Mr. Goswami questioned the rationale behind the approval for the OIL facility in the Dibru-Saikhowa zone when all major oil companies, including the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Indian Oil Corporation, apart from OIL, have their operational and R&D centres in industrial areas across the country, with minimal impact on the environment.
