Victims give July 22 deadline to meet demands

Flames rose up to 300 feet after the blowout at Tengratila gas field during drilling on January 27 this year. PHOTO: Star File Photo

They announced that office of the Canadian company Niko will be locked and a fast unto death by the affected people will begin on the gas field office premises if the demands are not met by July 22. Niko is drilling well in Tengratila for gas.

The programmes were announced during agitation by the affected people on Thursday.

They staged a sit-in in front of the gas field office, held a rally and brought out a procession in the area to press their six-point demand including payment of compensation.

Thursday's programmes were held under the banner of Tengratila Dabi Aday Sangram Parishad.

The demonstrators handed over a memorandum to Niko officials, reiterating the demands and setting the deadline to meet those.

Azimuddin Master, convener of the Parishad chaired the rally.

Speakers at the rally said the Canadian company is trying

to avoid payment of compensation to affected people by shifting the blame on the government.

The people in the area are united and they will realise the just demands, they said.

The 6-point demand includes payment of Tk 84 crore in compensation for environmental damage, proper compensation for the 611 affected families, employment for locals in the gas field, establishment of a gas-based 50 MW power plant near Tengratila and a health complex, arrangement for supply of safe water in the affected villages, seestablishment of a health complex in the area and inclusion of 28 more affected families who were dropped 'intentionally' from the compensation list.

The affected people did not get compensation even a year after the second blowout and fire that took place in the field on the night of June 24 last year.

They launched agitation afresh to press their 6-point demand as the Canadian company and the government remained silent on the issue of compensation.

Even, the authorities could not settle payment of compensation for the burnt out gas and environmental damage, which has estimated by a government appointed technical committee.

Explosions took place twice during drilling, which caused extensive damage to the ecology. Most croplands in the area have turned uncultivable and greens have been damaged. Pure water is scarce as the explosions polluted water bodies.