Centre Approves Oil And Gas Exploratory Drilling In Assam Sanctuary

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Posted in Assam, Featured, Northeast
NET Web Desk

Guwahati, Jan 13: The Centre has approved oil and gas exploratory drilling in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Assam’s Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. The proposal, led by Vedanta Group’s Cairn Oil & Gas, was approved by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) during a meeting on December 21, 2024.

The project had been recommended for clearance by Assam’s principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and the chief wildlife warden in August 2024, citing national interest. In-principle approval for the exploration was also granted by the Forest Advisory Committee of the Union Environment Ministry in the same month.

A team from the Union Environment Ministry, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Assam Forest Department inspected the site in November 2024. The team concluded that while exploratory drilling would cause minimal damage, commercial drilling would not be permitted. Vedanta has committed to conducting only exploratory drilling to identify hydrocarbon reserves, with any future extraction to occur outside the sanctuary’s ESZ.

The Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, which spans 20.98 square kilometers, plays a critical role in connecting forest areas in Assam and Nagaland, supporting several primate species. Concerns remain about the environmental impact, particularly as the sanctuary is already stressed by human activities, including plans for railway electrification.

Additionally, the exploration site lies within a disputed area along the Assam-Nagaland border, where local communities and the Nagaland government have insisted that drilling cannot proceed without their consent.

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