TIRUVARUR : An underground Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) pipeline carrying crude developed a leak at the Erukkattur village here and oil seeped up, flooding a paddy field on Saturday.
According to sources, the pipeline carrying crude oil from Erukattur to the Early Production System in Kamalapuram developed a crack beneath the paddy field of one Dhanasekaran, who hailed from Keezha Erukattur.
Informed by the farmer, ONGC officials reached the field and removed the crude oil by baling it out using buckets and barrels. The flow valves were operated to stop the flow, they said. “The oil spill was contained and the land acquisition staff of the ONGC are on the spot for assessment. The stipulated compensation will be paid to the farmer”, the official added.
The farmers who were already up in arms against the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation operations in the area were further agitated by the incident. Some of the villagers said the ONGC pipeline had developed a crack in the Pandavayaru river bed in the same area around nine days before.ONGC officials said the harvesting machine used in the field could have caused the leak in the pipeline.