IOC (AOD) blamed for threat to Borbil residents, aquatic creatures
Guwahati   02-Nov-2010

The residents of Borbil no 3 of Digboi have been the worst victim of the intoxicant affluent emitted by the oldest refinery in India located at Digboi. The villagers of Borbil No 3 of Digboi told the media-persons that they couldn't have a wink of sleep last night due to the foul-smelling dreadful gases released from the refinery. The villagers alleged that this has been occurring from time to time polluting the environment adversely and killing various aquatic creatures including fishes in the rivulet running midst of the village Borbil. The agitating local residents showed the media persons this morning a huge quantity of small and big fishes along with different species of aquatic organisms floating dead on a rivulet that in reality serves as the garbage destination as it is connected with almost all the drains and channels radiating directly or indirectly out of Digboi refinery. Speaking to the media persons, a representative of a local organization told that several efforts along with prayers and petitions have been made to the management of IOC (AOD) Digboi and but they seem to be totally oblivious to the grim reality. Instead the locals alleged that the IOC (AOD) is rather trying to establish that the affluent are completely free from poisonous substance. On several occasions the IOC (AOD) Digboi assured the affected farmers of the Borbil village of providing adequate compensation against the damage caused to the standing crops but the benefits are yet to reach the farmers. One of the farmers of the locality alleged that the IOC (AOD) Digboi assured last year of constructing a pucca drain along the garbage and effluents carrying drain running through the heart of the residence of Borbil No 3 which is yet to see the light of the day.  The villagers categorically stated that the Pollution Control Board have been showing extreme favour to the IOC AOD Digboi as a result of which the members of the Board who are invited to taste the pollutants or the dreadful components being carried by the water through the drain never find anything hazardous or intoxicants. The residents of the affected village told that if the authority concerned did not take immediate steps they might initiate a mass movement.