Assam: NGT rejects additional interim compensation for Baghjan blowout victims

Guwahati, Dec 15: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed claims for additional interim compensation by families affected by the 2020 Baghjan oil well blowout, upholding the existing framework for victim categorization and payouts.

The tribunal’s decision pertains to Miscellaneous Application No. 31/2023/EZ, which sought additional interim compensation for 161 families. These families had been reclassified as Category-II beneficiaries, in line with the framework established by the NGT-appointed Justice BP Katakey Committee.

The Baghjan oil well blowout on May 27, 2020, caused catastrophic damage, displacing over 9,000 people and inflicting severe environmental harm in and around the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung Wetland. Initial assessments reported damage to 1,580 hectares of agricultural and tea fields, as well as contamination of water bodies, leading to significant livelihood losses for local communities.

The Justice BP Katakey Committee categorized victims into three groups, recommending interim compensation of ₹25 lakh (Category-I), ₹10 lakh (Category-II), and ₹2.5 lakh (Category-III). Initially, 12 families whose homes were completely destroyed were placed in Category-I, each receiving ₹25 lakh.

A petition filed by Manoj Hazarika sought additional compensation for 161 families that had been reclassified from Category I to Category II, as well as for 439 families already classified under Category II. The petitioner argued that these families should receive ₹10 lakh each as interim compensation.

However, the NGT concluded that the 161 families did not meet the same criteria as the initial 12 families whose homes were entirely gutted. Instead, the 161 families were categorized as having “severely damaged” homes and placed in Category II, entitling them to ₹10 lakh each. The tribunal noted that these families had already received ₹15 lakh each as an advance, effectively exceeding the interim compensation due under Category-II guidelines.

The NGT further clarified that the 439 families in Category II had already received ₹10 lakh each, as prescribed by the Justice BP Katakey Committee. Therefore, no further interim compensation was warranted for them.

The tribunal emphasized that its ruling pertains exclusively to interim compensation. Claims for final compensation remain open, with related cases still pending adjudication. The NGT reaffirmed the principle of equitable compensation, stating that it would not equate families with varying levels of damage under the same compensation category.

The NGT’s decision upholds the categorization and compensation recommendations established by the Justice BP Katakey Committee, reinforcing the principle of equitable treatment for affected families. Final compensation for all victims will be determined based on material evidence submitted in ongoing proceedings.

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