DOOMDOOMA, June 20 - Leaving their homes, hundreds of people of greater Baghjan and Dighalturrang area under Doomdooma Revenue Circle have been passing sleepless nights at various relief camps since the blowout occurred at BGR-5 of Baghjan oilfield of Oil India Limited (OIL) on May 27. They are not certain as to when they can return to their homes. Worsening their plight, the well caught fire on June 9 afternoon. Though the process of dousing the fire is on, yet it is not certain how long it will take to extinguish the fire and to cap the well.
Meanwhile, to please Lord Agni (god of fire), the senior citizens of Baghjan area offered prayers with a sarai of tamul-paan near the burning gas well.
On the other hand, Doomdooma unit of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), Tinsukia district committees of Assam Tea Tribes Students� Association (ATTSA), All Adivasi Students� Association, Assam (AASAA) and Assam Chah Janagusthi Jatiya Mahasabha (ACJJM) staged a three-hour sit-in strike on Saturday near the entrance of Doomdooma Town Field here in protest against the alleged negligence by the OIL authorities towards the affected tea community people of Baghjan.
The leaders of these organisations later submitted a memorandum, enlisting a nine-point charter of demands for compensation, to the Chief Minister of Assam through the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia district.
