Justice Katakey Committee | UPSC
HEADLINES:
Assam gas leak
WHY IN NEWS:
NGT orders OIL to pay Rs 25 cr, forms high-level committee
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Oil Spill : Disaster Management : NDRF : Pollution
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS understand the prime motive behind formation of the committee . That should glide you through Prelims .
For MAINS this is an important issue for the year ! You will need to project this committee in your answers with different aesthetic every time .
ISSUE:
BACKGROUND
- It also asked the public sector company to deposit Rs 25 crore for damages caused.
- The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung wetland, less than a kilometre away from the site, are both under threat due to accident.
JUSTICE KATAKEY COMMITTEE
The committee headed by Justice Katakey will submit its report within 30 days.
COMMITTEE WILL PROBE 13 POINTS LISTED BY THE NGT ORDER
- Cause of gas and oil leak
- Extent of loss and damage caused to human life, wildlife and environment
- Damage and health hazards to the public
- Possible contamination caused to water, air and soil around the oil well
- Extent of contamination of the Dibru river due to the oil spill
- Air quality monitoring, along with collecting soil and groundwater samples of the area and testing water from the Dibru
- Impact on the eco-sensitive Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Maguri-Motapung wetland zone
- Impact on agriculture, fishery and domestic animals in the area
- Any mitigation measures put in place by OIL to offset incidents such as this one
- Individuals responsible for the fire incidents and the cause of failure to prevent the incident
- Assessment of compensation for victims and cost of restitution of damage caused to property and environment
- Preventive and remedial measures
- Any other incidental or allied issues
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS IN POLLUTION BOARD’S CLOSURE NOTICE
- The Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) earlier served a closure notice to OIL to stop all production and drilling activities in the Baghjan oilfield.
- It said the oil field operated “without obtaining prior consent to establish / consent to operate from pollution control board”.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Rains and flooding have hampered operations to kill the well.
- The situation is grim.
SOURCES:DownToEarth | Justice Katakey Committee | UPSC
BONUS TIPS :DISCOVER MORE : Important GS-3 Issues
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