Guwahati, March 24: Local concern over an Oil India Limited (OIL) proposal to develop gas fields in the vicinity of a national park and a wildlife sanctuary has spurred the standing committee of National Board for Wildlife to order a site visit.

According to the project proposal, OIL plans to use of 304.15 hectares of non-forest land falling within 10km from the boundary of Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni wildlife sanctuary for expansion of gas fields in three areas — Tengakhat-Naharkotia-Jorajan, Tinsukia-Dhola and Doomdooma-Pengeri — in Assam.

The issue came up at the 28th meeting of the standing committee held in New Delhi recently. Assam chief wildlife warden Suresh Chand, however, was not present in the meeting.

Any proposal falling within 10km from the boundary of a national park and wildlife sanctuary will have to be cleared by the wildlife board.

Wildlife board sources said they had been informed of the concerns raised by local people — one of them being that the pipelines would pass through a wetland that is part of the Important Bird Area Dibru-Saikhowa complex. A site visit has been ordered in which the issue would be discussed.

Two civil society activists — Bimal Gogoi and Mridu Paban Phukon — had written a letter to Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of state for environment and forests, saying the proposed route of all three pipelines passes under Maguri-Motapung beel, which is part of the Important Bird Area Dibru-Saikhowa complex. The area borders the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and is part of the Dibru-Saikhowa biosphere reserve.

“The local people of the region are also dependent on the Maguri-Motapung beel and its surrounding areas for their livelihood, including fishing, agriculture and eco-tourism,” the letter stated.

Both of them said in the letter that during the public hearing held in 2011, there was strong opposition from the locals about the faulty environment impact assessment report and the route of the pipelines.

“The people are not opposed to the transportation of oil and gas from the Baghjan area but only the current alignment of the pipelines through an ecologically sensitive area,” the letter stated.

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is a habitat for tigers, leopards, peacocks and other fauna, whereas Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni wildlife sanctuary is home to leopards, giant flying squirrels and others.

Assam chief wildlife warden Suresh Chand had recommended the proposal but with a condition that from October to March, no activity will be undertaken, as it coincided with movement of migratory avi-fauna.

The other important condition is erection of two security watchtowers of suitable height on either side of the waterbody prior to drilling.

Not only that, the user agency should provide a vehicle with a driver prior to any activity, for monitoring of the said area, as any leak can potentially damage other surrounding areas, especially the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park that falls under the jurisdiction of this division. This is also required to monitor compliance by the user agency.