Call for Action Taken Report on January 26
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday made detailed enquiries about the blowout at ONGC’s Well Mori-5 in the Irusumanda village of Konaseema district and directed the ONGC to come up with all the details of the mishap in a fortnight’s time.
Naidu chaired a review meeting on the blowout after his public meeting at Rayavaram village in East Godavari with the ONGC executive director Santanu Das, GM Harish Balayogi and Konaseema collector Mahesh Kumar and Razole MLA Deva Varaprasad. He expressed his concern over the blowout in the Well Mori-5.
The Chief Minister wanted to know the reasons for the blowout, which affected the local villagers and environment and damaged crops. Who was responsible for this mishap and what measures were being initiated to control the raging fire from the well, he asked.
The ONGC representatives said an inquiry was in progress and assured the CM to submit all the details at a meeting scheduled for January 26. “We are considering a plan for closure of the troubled well on a permanent basis. We are not getting the gas on expected lines,” they said.
Meanwhile, the ONGC has been asked by the CM to look into the issues of payment of ex-gratia to farmers for the damaged crops like coconut plantations and paddy and infrastructure due to the blowout, and provide employment to the local youth.
Razole MLA Deva Prasad proposed the development of a 100-bed government hospital as nearly 2.5 acres of land could be available by removing the existing PHC at Lakkavaram. The hospital, he said, could be erected at an estimated cost of `25 crore with the CSR funds from the ONGC. It is learnt that the ONGC has agreed to the proposal.
Earlier, the Chief Minister carried out an aerial survey in the blowout area while on his way to the Rayavaram village.
In a statement released on Friday, ONGC said it was continuing the efforts to subdue and cap Well Mori-5, being operated by the PEC contracting firm, Deep Industries, in line with the approved blowout control plan.
The crisis management team has successfully cleared a majority of the debris from the well site, enabling access to the well head area. Major structural obstructions, including portions of the mast and associated equipment, have been removed, allowing operations to progress towards capping of the well.
All essential equipment and materials required for the operations have been mobilised. A continuous water blanket is being maintained to facilitate safe operations in the vicinity of the well head. In view of the stabilised conditions, residents in the area have resumed their normal routines.
