Reported OIL pipeline leak in Dibru river: Moran Sabha warns of protest

A reported crude oil leak from an Oil India Limited (OIL) pipeline over the Dibru river in Tinsukia district has prompted the Assam Moran Sabha to warn of an agitation, amid fears for one of Upper Assam's most important wetlands.

According to a Northeast Now report from Doomdooma, crude oil is said to have entered the river after a pipeline belonging to the public sector oil company ruptured. How much oil leaked, where exactly the pipeline is located and how far any contamination has spread have not yet been established. OIL had not issued an official response at the time of the report.

Moran Sabha demands action

The regional committee of the Assam Moran Sabha blamed the leak on negligence by the company and demanded urgent steps to protect the Dibru river and the nearby Maguri-Motapung Beel.

A member of the organisation said on Monday that Oil India must take immediate responsibility and make sure the area's natural resources are not destroyed. If that does not happen, the Sabha said, it will be forced to launch a democratic agitation against the company.

Why the wetland matters

Maguri-Motapung Beel lies close to Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and covers about 9.6 square kilometres. The wetland is known for its birdlife, with more than 110 species recorded there, and is a popular spot for birdwatchers in winter, when migratory birds arrive.

Its connected river system supports many fish species, and hundreds of fishing families depend on the river and surrounding wetlands for their income. Any oil reaching the water could harm aquatic life and hit those livelihoods directly.

A region scarred by oil accidents

The area has been hit by petroleum-related accidents before. In 2020, a blowout at OIL's Baghjan gas well near the same wetland burned for months, causing extensive ecological damage to Maguri-Motapung Beel and the surrounding area and displacing families.

The reported Dibru leak comes days after a separate fire at an OIL site at Tengakhat in Dibrugarh district, which has killed four people and led the company to suspend three officers and an employee.

What happens next

The key questions now are whether OIL confirms the leak, how much crude escaped, and whether the company or the state's Pollution Control Board will assess the damage to the river and wetland. NEInsider will update this story when Oil India or the district administration responds.