Several houses in an area of Tripura’s Sepahijala district have developed cracks due to exploration activities carried out by the ONGC in search of gas reserves. The affected residents of Romola and Herma villages in the Charilam administrative block are protesting for compensation for the damages.
These two tribal localities fall within the jurisdiction of the tribal autonomous district council, currently governed by the State’s main Opposition party, the TIPRA. Party leaders have also joined in the demand for compensation on behalf of the villagers.
The damages to the buildings were caused by dynamite blasts conducted by the ONGC.
As a result of the villagers’ protests, the ONGC was forced to halt work on Sunday evening. The villagers are demanding compensation for the work to resume.
Reports said exploration work had been ongoing in the area for past weeks.
The ONGC, since beginning exploration activities in Tripura in 1962, has so far discovered 11 gas fields. It holds a major share in the ONGC Tripura Power Company (OTPC), which established a 726.6 MW combined cycle gas turbine thermal power plant at Palatana in Gomati district.
