He further wrote that competent personnel had been brought from other ONGC work centres, and very high-capacity fire pumps, frack pumps, muds, etc, were all working at the site. “High tech methods, such as junk pumping, are also being deployed and ONGC officers are in constant touch with international overseas experts. A water blanket is continuously being maintained for cooling effect and to prevent fire,” Puri stated.Sarma said he would hold a video conference with the Petroleum Minister later in the day and request him to send the experts immediately so that the gas leak could be controlled. He said the gas leak has not stopped yet despite the best efforts by the ONGC.“People are suffering like anything as they have not been able to resume their normal activities. They have moved to a nearby school and are camping there. Students have not been able to go to their schools and colleges. There is a sense of anger among the locals,” Sarma said after meeting them.“There is only a gas leak and no fire so far. But if there is a fire for some reason, it will be a huge disaster. The situation will go out of control. The matter is very serious and very urgent,” Sarma said.He said he would talk to the ONGC and Puri also on the matter of giving compensation to the over 300 affected families. He said people could not even carry clothes when they had fled their homes.“We will give a relief of Rs 25,000 to each of the affected families from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Our first priority will be to stop the gas leak. The second priority will be to give compensation to the affected families,” he added.The ONGC, in a statement, said following the incident, it is in close coordination with the district administration and had undertaken the safe evacuation of the affected families, ensuring secure shelters, nutritious food, clean drinking water, and essential daily supplies.The ONGC also established free round-the-clock medical camps staffed with doctors and equipped with essential medicines, as part of its comprehensive emergency response, the statement said.
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