Bharuch: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has issued a statement affirming that the cleaning operations at the oil leakage site in Kuchhipura Area near Ankleshwar are being carried out on a war footing.

In the statement released by ONGC, it was mentioned, “The entire restoration work is anticipated to be completed by May 30.” The affected area has been promptly cordoned off, and round-the-clock security has been deployed to continuously monitor the site.”

The statement further clarified, “Contrary to speculation and unverified reports, the unfortunate death of camels in the area and oil leakage are two unrelated incidents. However, as a responsible corporate entity, ONGC continues to provide all assistance to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, state administrative agencies, and the forensic team investigating the incident. According to the latest field survey report, it has been confirmed that there is no other leakage site in the entire asset.”

On Tuesday, a total of 25 camels were found near Kachhipura village in Vagra taluka of Bharuch. The suspected cause of death is believed to be the consumption of contaminated water from the field. In response, officials from the district collectorate and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) initiated an investigation to determine the precise cause of the camels’ demise.

Later on Wednesday, GPCB issued a directive to ONGC under the Environment (Protection) Act for being responsible for water and ground pollution. The investigation conducted by GPCB indicates that a leakage in the ONGC pipelines resulted in pollution in a waterbody located within the Bharuch district, said RB Trivedi, the vigilance officer of GPCB. DeshGujarat