The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur would like to express our concern with the ongoing oil spill and fire at the oil drilling site of the Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan Village in Assam since 27 May 2020. OIL officials failed to control the oil spill as of 10 June 2020. The oil Blowout, or uncontrolled spillage of oil and gas at the oil drilling site has led to displacement of more than 3000 community members in Baghjan Village and surrounding areas and contaminated much of the Maguri-Motapung wetland, part of the eco-sensitive zone of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. The oil spill has had an adverse effect on biodiversity of the two eco-sensitive zone.
The Dibru Saikhowa National park is home to at least 36 species of mammals including feral horses and at least 382 species of birds. Locals found a carcass of a Gangetic dolphin, declared as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with its skin peeled in the Maguri wetland. The OIL company has contracted experts from Singapore based Alert Disaster Control to control the oil spill. OIL's seeking help from foreign countries indicates the failure or the lack of capacity of the OIL company to handle major oil spills, which is a concern for indigenous peoples across North East where Jubilant Oil and Gas Pnvate Limited and Oil India Limited are involved in oil exploration and survey works like in Manipur since 2010.
In Manipur, the Oil India Limited (OIL) commenced surveys in Khaidem, Moidangpok, Sangaithel villages in lmphal West district in Manipur since March 2017 without providing any detailed information to the villagers and in absence of their consent. Manipur indeed falls in two of the World's Biodiversity Hotspot, the Eastern Himalayas Biodiversity Hotspot, and lndo-Burma Hotspot and oil exploration and related spills like in Baghjan will entail massive social and environmental impacts. Oil companies downplayed the impacts of oil exploration in Manipur.
The Oil India Limited unleashed human rights violations by contaminating the land and water bodies and by denying the livelihood of communities depending on Rivers and wetlands, such as in Baghjan Area of Assam. The oil exploration moves in Manipur failed to recognise indigenous peoples' rights over their land and resources. The effort to explore and drill oil in Manipur involves a process of disrespect and non-application of human rights-based approach to development, one that recognise Indigenous peoples' rights, more with self-determined development over their land and resources.
The continued oil spill and uncontrolled fire at Baghjan should lead to serious review and rethinking of oil exploration and fossil fuel-based industries pursued aggressively across India's North East. The communities affected by the oil spill should be fully compensated and rehabilitated to restore their livelihood and health. OIL should be held accountability for social impacts and irreparable loss of biodiversity. An investigation should be pursued to prosecute responsible officials of Oil companies involved. The Government should refrain from pursuing unsustainable extractive industries, like oil exploration without recognizing community rights and without taking their consent.
Its sounds strange. But the people are least bothered. Sixty six years have passed since India gained independence. During this six and a half decades, the country progressed on many fronts. But the independence seems to have failed to address the millions of poor lots. They are still remaining starved and half starved.The government statistics claimed to have made notable progress in alleviating poverty, sharp increase in GDP and what not. But the real picture brings out the grim reality which does not allow those people in power to escape the responsibility. Take the example of Assam. The state has still 101.27 lakh people languishing in dire penury. According to the planning commission’s...
The year 2013 rolled in eternity. The end paved the way for 2014. The event was marked with midnight celebrations in the state along the other parts across the globe. As the clock struck 00.00 people in large number come out to the public places to celebrate the event. Hotel and bars, parks and restaurents were teeming with people till Wednesday wee hours to welcome 2014 with all hopes and aspirations. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi along with many political leaders, parties and organizations wished the people on the occasion. Assam Times families also wish its visitors and well wishers a happy new year.
Precisely, it’s a tough time that cripples the commoners. You may find it hard to believe unless you suspend disbelief. Onion reaches your kitchen only if you pay Rs 85 per kg. Potato is available. But it is sold not below Rs 35 per kg. We have yet to speak of other essential goods of dearer prices. Tomato is no longer tasty if you refuse to pay Rs 90 per kg. That’s the reality in the market these days. Those having pockets overflowing with money have nothing to be worried. But the commoners are bound to bear the brunt.But who will save the common people? In political circle, the signal is disquieting hardly six months before the Lok Sabha polls. The spiraling price line simply suggests the...
Lok Sabha poll are round the corner. Political parties start approaching the voters with lots of promises. The voters are set to pause and ponder over the performances of the sitting legislators after five years. But how? What would be the yardstick to assess or evaluate their performances? Take the utilization of the funds they got from the Centre to develop their local areas. The document is in public domain.If the utilization of the MPLD fund is any indication, then Asom Gana Parishad MP Joseph Toppo tops the Lok Sabha members from the state. On the contrary, his Congress counterpart Lalit Mohan Suklavaidya is trailing behind all the 13 MPs in this field. According to statistics...
Screenings, Film-Making Workshop and Competition. January - March 2014. Agartala, Aizawl, Dimapur, Drbrugarh, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Shillong, Tezpur------------------------------https://www.facebook.com/events/400563430077301/-------------------------------------------INAUGURAL Screening at: Guwahat Press Club, December 29, 2014 (11 am)----------------------------------------------------Climate change is a big challenge; and bigger is its humanitarian implication in the growing economies like that of India. There is a huge information and knowledge deficit, affecting environment and climate change. Despite a very vibrant media and technological platforms, the space...
The Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP) is a pioneering collaboration among three organizations – CICERO, ICIMOD, and GRID-Arendal– aimed at contributing to enhanced resilience of mountain communities, particularly women, through improved understanding of vulnerabilities, opportunities, and potentials for adaptation. Under its communications and outreach component, GRID-Arendal and ICIMOD will hold a training workshop for journalists, primarily from India, reporting on the Northeast region. The training will be held from 17 to 23 February 2014 in Assam, India.The objective of the workshop is to improve creative thinking and effective communication on adaptation to climate...
Volunteers around the world coming forward to hosts mirrors of Wikileaks and mirroring 729 sites till 22:32 GMT yesterday. Technically, these copycat sites consists of "only html/css/javascript/png static files" and do not "require much resource to host it", safe to access/browse and do not contain any malware.Some volunteers around the world are coming forward to offer server space to host the Wikileak mirror site that contains many whistleblower contents including the infamous Cablegate releases that contais 250,000 US Embassy Diplomatic Cables.Financially, Wikileaks got the recent jolt in terms of finance - the Swiss Bank Post Finance yesterday issued a press release stating that it had...
A seminar on “Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) in Higher Education and Research” will be held in Guwahati University, on December 3. The seminar will be organised jointly between Guwahati University and NRCFOSS (National Resoirce Centre for Free/Open Source Software) Chennai is mainly meant to create awareness of FOSS and its value and relevance to the Indian acacdemic and research community. The occasion would also be used to see how NRCFOSS can support the participating universities and colleges in introducing FOSS into their curricula for the benefit of the students.
The event is meant prmarily for the faculty and students of the BE(CSE)/BTech(IT)/ MSc(CS)/MSc(IT)/...
Everything seems to be utter confusion. If you call it a mystery, nobody can easily crack it and will not be able to do so. ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, Pradip Gogoi, Mithinga Daimary et all are preparing the massive blueprint to be guided by Jatita Abhibartan leader Dr Hiren Gohain and government interlocutor P C Halder. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is waiting to give the political touch and to extract electoral mileage thereof.
The things are understood to have moved in right direction. The process touches touches even a few elusive hardcore aides of commander in chief Paresh Baruah. They include 709 battalion commander Hira Sarania. Hira aided and guided by the jailed top guns has...
If winter comes can spring behind? Its spring time in Assam...time for celebration of the season with joy. The advent of spring is marked by the season flowers in full bloom. The rivers which lost their primes have regained its strength with the rains that end the dry spell. The entire state gets transformed into a nest of singing birds and what not.
Assam, the name of a north eastern state in India is all set to celebrate the season with its much-vaunted Rongali Bihu. The seven day long festival begins on Tuesday to be observed as Garu bihu. The day would be observed with the pujas offering to the cows..the lifeline of Assam and its economy. Early in the morning cows would be taken out...
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