Guwahati, June 20: The Pollution Control Board (PCB) of Assam on Friday directed the Oil India Limited to close down all its production as wells at the Baghjan Oil Field in Assam. The closure order was issued on Friday, 23 days after Baghjan's gas well number 5 in Tinsukia district of the state continues to be on fire. The natural gas started leaking from the well on May 27. The well caught fire on June 9. Assam Well Fire Continues, Environment Assessment Study in Progress.

According to a report published in NDTV, there are 21 active wells of the Oil India Limited in Baghjan and its adjoining areas. The PCB in its order said that the the Baghjan oil field was being operated without its permission. The board first issued a notice to the Oil India limited on June 10 over the incident and asked for the reply within seven day. However, the company demanded more time, due to which the PCB issued the closure notice.

Order by Pollution Control Board:

The PCB in its order said, “It is mandatory to obtain prior permission / clearance from MoEF&CC as well as state PCB for production, drilling, pumping of crude oil and laying pipeline activities as per EIA notification, 2006 and various provisions under the Section 25/26 of the Water (Prevention of Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Section 21 of the Air (Prevention of Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Authorization under the Hazardous & other waste (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 as amended upto date”

On June 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Narendra Modi chaired the National Disaster Management Authority meeting to review the situation arising out of fire in oil well in Tinsukia District, Assam. Home Minister Amit Shah, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were present in the meeting.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 20, 2020 11:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).