10-Day Ultimatum Issued to SK Petro Services in Sivasagar Over Gas Leak Fallout

In a fresh wave of public outrage in Assam's Sivasagar, three prominent organisations, Asomiya Yuva Manch, Sangrami Sena, and Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union have jointly launched a renewed protest against the controversial private company SK Petro Services. The organisations have accused the company of gross negligence in the Bhatiapar gas leak incident and threatening agitation if their demands are not met within ten days.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Sivasagar Press Club on Friday, representatives from all three organisations lashed out at SK Petro and its Director Krishna Agarwalla, holding him primarily responsible for the recurring industrial hazards in the region.

“We are giving the administration a 10-day deadline. If no concrete action is taken against SK Petro and the compromised unions, we will launch an intensified agitation,” declared the leaders of the three organisations.

The protest stems from the Bhatiapar gas emission incident, where the same organisations allege that SK Petro’s faulty rig operations endangered local lives and livelihoods. Despite the gravity of the situation, the organisations say no concrete legal or administrative action has been taken so far.

They also targeted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directly for his “unfulfilled promises” to the affected residents of Bhatiapar. “The Chief Minister visited the site twice and assured justice. But where are those promises now?” they asked, expressing deep disappointment at the lack of follow-up on the promised inquiry.

The protestors also voiced sharp criticism against the district administration and police for what they describe as a deliberate delay in initiating action against SK Petro. “Why has the district administration not blacklisted SK Petro yet? Why are their rigs still operating and pushing our communities into darkness?” they questioned.

A major point of contention was the alleged privatisation of ONGC’s oilfields, which the organisations opposed strongly, accusing private contractors like SK Petro of exploiting public resources for profit while disregarding safety and accountability.

The protestors also demanded strict action against two unions, All Oil Field Workers Association and Purbanchal Employees Union, which they labelled as “controversial” and “compromised”. They claim these unions have colluded with SK Petro to suppress workers’ voices and community concerns.

They further warned, “If immediate action is not taken based on our FIRs, we will not hesitate to launch a more intense, ground-level agitation.”

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