JORHAT, June 13 - A team comprising three scientists from the Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, which visited the blowout area at Baghjan BGR 5 of Tinsukia district to carry out a survey, has found huge damage caused to banana plants, tea bushes, areca nuts, citrus plants, bamboo and horticultural crops.
AAU Vice-Chancellor (In-charge) Dr Ashok Bhattacharyya told The Assam Tribune today that a university team, as per request of Oil India Limited authorities of Duliajan to conduct a survey on the impact of the oil well blow-on cultivated crops, visited the area on Tuesday (June 9).
Dr Bhattacharyya said that accordingly, the team visited the homesteads within 300 metres distance of the gushing well to have an idea about the damage to the agricultural crops and the vegetation.
The team, in its report, has stated the impact of spewing gas and condensate was very much evident with pseudostems (false stems) of banana plants observed snapped at the middle.
The report further stated that citrus plants were seen drying down from the top while the tea bushes in the entire area appeared to have severe burn out symptom.
�The leaves of areca nut, bamboo and other horticultural crops had a desiccated appearance. Soil and water bodies of the affected area were covered with deposits that have come out from the well,� the report said.
Dr Bhattacharyya informed that samples of plant, soil and water were collected, and while the team was moving to the other side in a round-about way, a huge fire broke out in the well and the visit had to be suspended.
He said that the damage to the crops will be more prominent after a few days and since the blaze is still on, the actual assessment in the surrounding area will be done when normalcy is restored after the well is capped.
