Baghjan: An unsettling reality

Anwesha Borthakur

(The writer is Marie Sk³odowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellow KU Leuven, Belgium)

The inferno at the Baghjan Oil Well No. 5 probably marks one of the most catastrophic anthropogenic interferences on natural environment in the 21st century. The fact that the site of explosion is situated in the vicinity of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung Beel (a wetland and a haven for both residents and migratory birds) further intensifies the concern. In particular, the disturbing images of the fire spreading horizontally, destroying houses and gardens of the natives and dwellings of wildlife, will remain a constant reminder as to why disaster preparedness should accelerate or exceed resource exploration or exploitation. Personally for me, this tragedy is significant for two reasons. Firstly, I grew up in Tinsukia, a few kilometers from Baghjan. Visiting the nature areas in the region including its forests and wetlands is still a routine while visiting home. Last winter, during a research visit to India, I was briefly in Assam and went to the Maguri-Motapung Beel, not knowing what a part of it would turn into in six month's time! Secondly, my appreciation for nature and concerns for the larger environment are rooted very much in this beautiful part of the world which is blessed with incredible biodiversity. That decides not only my daily choices but also my academic preferences, first as an environmental science student and now as an environmental researcher. Observing a disaster of this scale unfolding at Baghjan for the past over 100 days is unsettling, more so in the midst of a pandemic creating havoc all across the globe.

COVID-19 pandemic is indisputably a time to realize and recognize why living in harmony with nature is so pertinent. This is perhaps one of the many viruses or their novel strains that we are going to encounter in the coming years. Today, the whole world is in a standstill, socio-economic losses are humungous and we are desperately searching for a vaccine or medicine. We will certainly see many of these days in the near future if we continue to treat nature and environment the way we do now. While we look for a vaccine to end this particular pandemic, it is worth remembering the case of antibiotic resistance in both humans and animals which is today threatening years of medical progresses. Therefore, at this point in time, we cannot afford to treat our environment irresponsibly in the name of development. This is particularly true for the areas that are biodiversity hotspots and fall under an eco-sensitive zone. Protecting and conserving the biodiversity of the North East India including Baghjan and its surrounds are imperative not only for the region alone but also for wellbeing of the whole planet. We must remember that our planet functions as one single system. Further, the ecological contribution of a biodiversity rich virgin forest could by no means be equivalent to a newly planted forest area. Such as, those original forests with its wetlands store carbon and act as carbon sinks which is instrumental towards keeping an environmental balance, for instance, in today's increasingly industrializing global South.

The incident in Baghjan gives us an opportunity to introspect our engagement with nature and awareness of the surrounding biodiversity. As natives of North East India, do we have enough knowledge about the flora and fauna of the region, many of which are today endangered or highly vulnerable? Were we aware that there exist a rainforest just at our backyard before the Dehing Patkai campaign started a few months back? How much are we cognizant of the cultural diversity that we have in the region which is closely associated with the existing biological diversity? Today, all across the globe, indigenous people are struggling to safeguard their land, forest, water, air etc., from detrimental developmental activities. As inhabitants of a region blessed with tremendous biodiversity and abundant natural resources, indigenous people of North East India must be vigilant. We must remember that protecting this diversity is nothing but protecting ourselves, the humans.