Assam: Pipeline burst in Tingkhong damages farmlands, causes huge loss

Dibrugarh: A pipeline of Oil India Limited (OIL) burst at Shalmari Dighalia Gaon in Tingkhong, Dibrugarh, on Monday night.

The incident led to continuous crude oil leakage, which spread into nearby agricultural fields and fish-farming ponds, killing fish and causing significant losses to locals.

The incident occurred at around 10 pm on Monday.

According to sources, crude oil spilled across the area after the pipeline burst.

Residents accused the Oil India management of neglecting long-term safety measures, stating that the pipeline is extremely old and prone to repeated failures.

The sharp smell of crude oil spread rapidly across the area, creating panic among residents. Villagers said there was a constant fear that a massive fire could break out at any moment.

Within a short time, the leaking oil spread to nearby agricultural fields and fish-rearing ponds. Several fish died after coming into contact with the oil, causing significant losses to farmers and fish cultivators in the area.

“We heard a loud sound at around 10 pm. When we came out of our homes, we saw that the OIL pipeline had burst and crude oil was spilling out. Fire tenders from OIL arrived immediately to control the excessive leakage of crude oil,” said local resident Monimanik Gogoi.

He said, “The pipelines are too old and Oil India should replace them. We have around 50 oil wells in our village, including two OCS and one DCS. OIL should take necessary steps to replace the pipes.”

“A major incident could have occurred due to the pipeline burst, but it was averted due to the timely intervention of the department,” he added.

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