ONGC team surveys area near burning well for compensation to farmers

SURAT: A team of officials from Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) conducted a survey of loss of crops to the farmers following the continuous fire that has rendered fields of at least 100 farmers useless and spoiled the crop of sugar cane, paddy and vegetables.

The fire that started at Dihen well in Olpad taluka in ONGC well no 37 Olpad, some 20 km of Surat city on April 18 is still raging and under a team of US experts work is on to stop the burn out. It is likely that it will be another six days before the fire could be completely stopped.

Har Govind, chief of ONGC, Ankleswar unit said, "We will give full compensation to each and every affected farmer. They have cooperated with us a long way and we would be paying them back more than they expected."

However, farmers complained on Friday that despite the assurance from the officials, they have been refused the 100 per cent compensation.

Mukesh Patel, Sarpanch of Dihen Village said, "We would wait till Saturday and if they don't accept our forms with 100 per cent compensation we would start the agitation."

According to estimate, nearly 100 farmers, 150 acres of land has been affected in this well burn out and they have not been allowed to use their land. Many have complained of ready crop being ruined because of that.

It must be noted that the fire broke out in this well on April 18 when work was on to stem the flow of accumulated gas. 12 people were injured of which five are released and seven of them including four from Critical Management team (CMT) of ONGC are being treated in a hospital in Mumbai with more than 50 per cent burns.

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