Disruption in gas supply hits tea gardens hard in Tinsukia & Dibrugarh districts

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: Tea gardens in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts have been hit hard following disruption of gas supply after protesters resorted to forceful closure of 14 major gas producing wells of Oil India Limited in the wake of the Baghjan oil well blowout, that supplied gas to tea garden factories of Doomdooma, Tingri, Margherita, Naharkatiya, Panitola, Dibrugarh and Moran Tea Garden Grids via AGCL network for manufacturing of tea.

Madhurjya Barooah, secretary Zone-1 of Assam Branch of Indian Tea Association (ABITA) Dibrugarh, in a representation to State Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowari, while seeking his immediate intervention, stated that 14 gas wells, namely DHK 01 (TAG) located at Limbuguri Natan Goan, Barekuri 12 at Dhelakhat, Well no 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 20, 23, 24 and South Baghjan 01 located Baghjan producing 1.44 MMSCUM of gas per day, were closed for 7 to 40 days causing major disruption in gas supply. The tea factories are solely dependent on gas to operate. Though some of them have dual fuel burners, it is not a viable alternative as operating in coal, HSD affects both quality and cost of tea produced, said Barooah.

The representation stated that due to closure of gas wells, the gas pressure had dropped significantly at the factory delivery point that caused damaging impact on production of tea. It has become extremely difficult to run the tea factories in a situation where pressure and flow of gas to tea gardens is getting interrupted frequently due to disturbance caused by local protesters, Barooah added.

The ABITA has sought immediate intervention and direction of the minister to resolve the ongoing crisis so that the tea gardens can continue their manufacturing operations without any hindrance. 

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