Ramlila Kicks off Close to AOD Refinery in Digboi

Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: Ramlila began on Monday evening at the historical Refinery field close to the hazardous plant of AOD Refinery in front of the Army Camp in Digboi without securing formal sanctions from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) AOD authority.

Long-drawn meetings, debate, and discussion were held several times earlier between the AOD management and Digboi Ramlila Sanchalika Samity but they did not yield the desirable output on the issue centering around the permission to hold the event. Despite the denial, the historical religious episode was kick-started by the Samity. The AOD authority, keeping in view the greater interest of the people at large, remained firm in its decision and did not run the risk of granting permission for ‘greater safety reason’. The failure of the subdivisional and district administration in resolving the deadlock surfaced miserably.

According to a press communiqué issued to this effect by the Corporate Communication department of AOD, the management denied permission to host the event in the refinery ground due to serious safety and security concern of the people of the oil town. However, extending solidarity with the organizing committee, the AOD management had offered an alternate ground behind the erstwhile AOD High School which was outrightly rejected.

“Indian Oil Corporation Limited Assam Oil Division Digboi Refinery clarified to the secretary of Ramlila Sanchalika Samity Digboi that the refinery ground is located just next to the refinery, which poses a high level of a safety hazard. The letter also mentions the prohibitory orders of the District Magistrate, Tinsukia declaring the area around Digboi refinery as a ‘No Cracker Zone’,” stated the press communiqué.

Meanwhile, an AOD top brass communicated to The Sentinel that thousands of people during the Durga Puja celebration period throng the refinery ground to enjoy Ramlila till late evening while several highly inflammable oil truckers, tanks and lorries are parked at a very close vicinity near the refinery gate which may invite unwarranted large-scale disaster at any moment. According to the official who did not want to be quoted, October 8 is the last day of the Ramlila marks the torching of the effigy of Ravana with the help of crackers and torches near the refinery which might put the lives of hundreds and thousands of people at risk.

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