AGARTALA / NEW DELHI, June 25 (TIWN): ONGC’s Tripura operations under scanner as substandard work was done on Tripura’s many abandoned drilling sites like one massively erupted on Friday at Duimukhiya of Takka Tulsi Village under Powangbari Block of Sabroom Subdivision. A massive fire broke out in ONGC's sealed drilling site which took more than 8 hours to douse flames by multiple fire engines from South and Gomati Districts. ONGC’s Tripura drilling operations marred by corruptions as ONGC contractors left abandoned drilling sites without proper sealing or safety measures since decades. Tripura State Govt or even Central Govt has no regulatory authority to conduct safety audits on ONGC’s work in Northeast India including Tripura. How a 20 years old abandoned drilling site like Duimukhiya can erupt into flames raises the questions about ONGC’s technical efficiency and internal corruption.

ONGC Tripura’s successive Asset Managers from V.P.Mahwar to S.C.Soni  never looked into safety and security of abandoned drilling sites. On paper, works were shown completed, money exchanged but explosion risks like Takka Tulsi Village  remained even for drillings sites sealed 20 years back. 

Even current Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said after ONGC's Surat explosion that, "When I came to this Ministry, I was shocked to learn that there is no statutory authority for safety and security. This is a concern,".

Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), under the Petroleum Ministry, carries out safety audits of oil and gas installations, besides formulating and standardising procedures and guidelines for design, operation and maintenance. However, the body lacks statutory authority.

ONGC mostly engages the globally renowned oil and gas blow out control experts Boots & Coots from USA to contain the past explosions like Surat and Andhra Pradesh.

However in Tripura, former ONGC Asset Managers like V.P.Mahawar spent more time in hobnobbing with CPI-M Ministers, conducting publicity events rather than checking safety & security, standard of sealing abandoned drilling sites.

On Friday, like inferno,  the 20 years old abandoned drilling site at Takka Tulsi Village  erupted at 2pm afternoon due to failure of sealing the drilling holes by ONGC.

After ONGC's massive safety lapse at Surat and subsequent loss of lives, Probin Chandra Bhagowaty, an Assamese, who retired as chief engineer (production) after rendering 37 years of service to ONGC, said he was witness to gross irregularities and corruption in the company since his days in Gujarat as an official and had subsequently highlighted the matter.

Besides causing losses of several crores of rupees to the company annually, the unfair and corrupt practices were resulting in accidents and human casualties on a regular basis.

“I had been witness to gross negligence of duty by officials at drilling sites resulting in accidents and deaths. Safety measures at work sites are often compromised. There had been many cases of fire and blowouts at rigs, resulting in death of workers. Often such cases are covered-up and not reported and no responsibility is fixed. Many officials were also involved in a theft racket, stealing valuable equipments”.

Tripura Govt lacks any effective administration and monitoring to tighten screws on ONGC's callous operations, substandard work which causing massive rigs blowouts like Takka Tulsi Village at South Tripura.