Activist alleges oil extraction disguised as ‘exploration’ in Gibbon Sanctuary
Exploration is just the first stage of the operations to extract oil and natural gas, asserted the activist in his letter.
M/s Vedanta-Cairn also admitted that the area proposed to be covered by the 'exploration' activities has the presence of Hollock Gibbon and Asiatic Elephant.
Guwahati, Feb 10: The word 'exploration', used to denote the proposed oil and natural gas-related operations being undertaken by M/s Vedanta-Cairn Oil and Gas in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, is nothing but a misleading one. This word is used to mask the premeditated operations to extract oil and natural gas in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.
The final notification of the Gibbon Sanctuary's eco-sensitive zone, issued on September 23, 2019, was 'significantly' dissimilar to the May 7, 2018, draft notification issued for the purpose.
The changes brought about in this ESZ notification had done away with the provision of making oil and gas exploration a prohibited activity in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary. The draft had proposed to prohibit oil and gas exploration in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, said RTI activist Rohit Choudhury in a letter to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).In reality, M/s Vedanta-Cairn Oil and Gas, which has been allowed to 'explore' oil and natural gas in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, is actually going for oil and natural gas extraction – that is, production of oil and gas – in the sanctuary, and exploration is just the first stage of the operations to extract oil and natural gas, asserted Choudhury in his letter.
In a June 5, 2020, letter (WLCP/AA-4/1) of M/s Vedanta-Cairn Oil and Gas to the state's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), the firm had clearly stated that it aims to set up six early production units (EPUs) or quick production units (QPUs) in case commercially viable hydrocarbon is discovered in the AA-ONHP-2017/4 hydrocarbon block, Choudhury said.
In the same letter, the firm had also stated: "... In addition, this EIA report, along with other documents, is being submitted to MOEFCC for granting environmental clearance for development and production of oil and gas based on the TOR issued by MOEFCC vide file no. IA-J- 11011/93/2019-IA-II91) dated 18th April, 2019.
"However, while awarding the 'exploration' work to this firm, the authorities passed over the fact that the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is under stress and its ESZ contains at least seven known species of primates. That this sanctuary is an important primate habitat has been reaffirmed by Dr Sukumar, the expert member of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), in the Standing Committee's 81st meeting held on January 9, 2025.
In that meeting, Dr Sukumar maintained that seven species of primates are found in the area, and the purpose of declaring such a large ESZ is to provide connectivity to the sanctuary with the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest and beyond that into the forested habitats in Nagaland.
Moreover, M/s Vedanta-Cairn also admitted that the area proposed to be covered by the 'exploration' activities has the presence of Hollock Gibbon and Asiatic Elephant. This fact was also confirmed by the DFO, Jorhat, while forwarding the proposal for diversion of 4.4998 hectares of land under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam for the proposed oil and gas exploration.
By-
Ajit Patowary