ONGC team asks locals to avoid going near the underground pipes at abandoned plant in Barak Valley

The ONGC team of Srikona in Cachar district has warned the locals not to go near the underground pipe of the abandoned plant of Katlicherra Telkatta..

On Wednesday, a team of ONGC officials inspected the abandoned Telkatta plant in Katlicherra and warned the locals that there was nothing to fear if they are staying at home. “Just don’t go next to the underground pipe,” they said.

It is to be mentioned here that since Monday night, there was a great panic among locals after gas oiled drinking water was spotted coming out from the abandoned plant of ONGC of Telkatta of Harishnagar GP. Fear-struck people left Telkatta and took refuge in Gardapunji. Meanwhile, in response to the call of the district administration after the incident, a team of six to seven officials from the Srikona ONGC rushed to Telkatta on Wednesday morning.

They monitored the abandoned plant as well as recorded the speeches of local citizens. The ONGC delegation observed that two or three bolts were cut in the mouth of the sealed pipe. As a result, they suspect that groundwater is rising through the mouth of the pipe. They told locals that since the plant had been abandoned for many years, it would be risky to repair it immediately. “You have to go on the field with full preparation,” said the delegation.

The delegation added that their on-the-spot investigation report will be handed over to the ONGC project officer. Then the project officer will take the next step. Their suspicion is that cutting the two or three bolts of the pipe caused the sealed pipe to leak and the underground gas to rise as well as make a loud noise. So they have to seal the pipe of the plant again with all the preparation and equipment. Otherwise, the fear of an accident cannot be dispelled. So they assured the locals that they would inform the project officer about this.