A major oil leakage occurred at the Leimakhong power station in Imphal West, Manipur, on Wednesday night, causing alarm among residents as the spilt oil flowed into downstream streams. The incident resulted in a flame erupting at a rivulet in Kanto Sabal village, under the Sekmai police station, with locals witnessing black furnace oil flowing along the stream. This raised concerns, particularly for those in the affected areas who depend on these streams for their livelihood.
Most critically, the affected stream joins the Imphal River downstream by passing through Khurkhul, Loitang, Kameng, Iroisemba, and Nambol. Immediately following the incident, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) directed relevant departments to take swift action to prevent an environmental calamity, utilising all available resources in terms of machinery, manpower, and expertise. The CMO emphasised activating the response mechanism and standard operating procedures (SoP) for such events.
Chief Engineer of PHED, S Vashum, urged the public not to use the water from the affected stream, emphasising that drinking water is being supplied through tankers and tube wells are being dug at the site. Local efforts, including the diversion of oil-contaminated water to nearby fields by residents, security forces, and disaster management teams, were undertaken.
Environment Minister Th Biswajit rushed to the site upon receiving the report, and subsequently, the Manipur government constituted a high-level committee to investigate the incident. The committee, headed by additional director general of police Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, includes Dr Shailesh Kumar Chaurasia and M Pradip Singh as members.
Governor Anusuiya Uikey directed the committee to submit its findings within 15 days, empowering them to co-opt additional members as necessary. The investigation aims to determine the cause of the leakage, and factors contributing to the incident, and propose immediate and long-term measures for the safety and security of the power plant.
In response to the incident, Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced that the state forces would now guard the Leimakhong power plant. A case has been registered, and the area has been sealed with heightened security forces.
An NDTV report states that an FIR has been filed against unknown individuals a day after the oil leakage. The area has been completely sealed, and additional security forces have been deployed at the power plant. A three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident, and the PHED will collect samples for daily testing at IIT Guwahati. Residents in Kanto Sabal village discovered a layer of black substance in the river, prompting coordinated efforts from various departments to contain the spill.
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The Chief Minister’s Office assured that the course of the stream has been diverted, and preliminary reports indicate no damage to the potable water supply system. The PHED is working closely with technical teams from IIT Guwahati, Manipur University, and NIT Manipur to assess water contamination. Meanwhile, tube wells are being bored, and water supply through tankers has been initiated to ensure potable water access.
Residents requiring drinking water may contact helplines at 8794006422 and 7085922914, as stated by the Chief Minister’s Office. The committee’s findings, along with ongoing investigations, are expected to shed more light on the extent of the environmental impact and the necessary measures for recovery.
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