NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed the situation arising out of the oil well blow out in Assam's Tinsukia district and pressed for capacity development of organisations to prevent such mishaps in the future.
During the review meeting, it was informed that a detailed plan has been drawn up with the help of Indian and foreign experts to control the flow of gas from Oil India Limited's Baghjan-5 well and to cap it.
The plan is being executed as per a schedule and it has been proposed that the well would be to capped on July 7 after taking all necessary safety precautions, an official statement said.
During the review, the prime minister directed the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to document such incidents so that the learnings from them can come in handy in the future.
"Further capacities and expertise should be developed within our own organisations to avoid such mishaps in the future and deal with such calamities in case they occur," the statement said quoting Modi.
Uncontrolled gas had started leaking from the well on May 27 and as preparations were on to control the leak, the well caught fire on June 9.
People living in the surrounding areas of the well have been shifted and relief camps set up by the state government in collaboration with Oil India Ltd.
Approximately, 9,000 persons are living in these relief camps.
As an immediate relief measure, Rs 30,000 each has been sanctioned for 1,610 families identified by the district administration, the statement said.
Modi assured the people of Assam through Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal that the central government is fully committed to providing support and relief and rehabilitation to the affected families.
The review meet was attended, amongst others, by Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, the Assam chief minister and some other Union ministers.