Nestled near the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam, Maguri-Motapung Beel is a haven of biodiversity, famed for its vibrant birdlife and lush aquatic flora. But in May 2020, this tranquil wetland was thrust into crisis. A catastrophic blowout at Baghjan Oil Field, just two kilometers away, unleashed a torrent of crude oil and natural gas into its waters. The result was India’s longest oil-well fire, lasting 159 days, and an environmental tragedy that scarred the beel’s delicate ecosystem.
