Sivasagar Villagers Left in Limbo as ONGC Delays Compensation

Even as the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) celebrates the successful capping of a high-pressure gas blowout at Well No. RDS#147A in Sivasagar’s Rudrasagar oilfield, questions are mounting over its continued silence on compensating affected villagers who were forced to abandon their homes for over two weeks.

The All Assam Engineers’ Association (AAEA), a regional body of graduate engineers, has congratulated the crisis management team of ONGC along with three foreign well-control experts for safely capping the leaking well on June 27 after 16 days of relentless efforts. However, the forum also demanded that the state-run Maharatna company announce an adequate compensation package without further delay for the over 330 Assamese families affected by the gas leak.

“These families had to be evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure to avoid potential harm from the gas blowout. How many more days does ONGC need to declare its compensation plan?” asked AAEA president Er Kailash Sarma, working president Er Nava J Thakuria, and secretary Er Inamul Hye in a joint statement.

According to ONGC’s earlier official communication, the blowout occurred on June 12 during servicing operations at Well RDS#147A, when gas suddenly began gushing out uncontrollably. The crisis was brought under control on June 27 with the help of international experts and ONGC’s own engineering teams. The company praised the operation as a “testament to ONGC’s engineering excellence, meticulous planning, and global-local collaboration,” asserting that the entire process was executed without injury, fatality, or fire.

The company also claimed to have maintained complete transparency throughout the incident, issuing regular updates and prioritizing safety and environmental responsibility. However, despite this self-congratulatory tone, ONGC has remained conspicuously silent on the issue of compensating the displaced villagers.

During a visit to the blowout site on June 16, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with affected residents at a relief camp and announced an immediate assistance of Rs 25,000 per family from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The Chief Minister also took up the matter with Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh, who reportedly assured that adequate compensation would be provided.

Yet, more than a week after the well was successfully capped, ONGC has not made any formal announcement regarding compensation. The AAEA has raised concerns about whether ONGC is attempting to shirk responsibility because the well was reportedly being managed by a private firm, SK Petro Services, at the time of the blowout.

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