Fire breaks out at ONGC’s oil effluent tank in Neduvasal

Incident triggers tense moments in Nallandarkoil village

Timely action: Fire fighters work to put out the fire in the cement tank containing oil effluents at Nallandarkovil village on Thursday.

A fire broke out in a cement tank containing effluents adjoining an ONGC exploratory well at Nallandarkoil village near Neduvasal on Thursday.

Two teams of firefighters from Karambakudi and Keeramangalam rushed to the spot to douse the raging flames. They said the fire broke out in a nearly five-foot-deep cement tank containing oil effluents. The fire was put out in about 30 minutes, said the fire fighters.

The incident triggered tense moments at the village with the locals besieging the revenue officials demanding steps to permanently remove the cement tanks containing effluents. Nallandarkoil residents had been demanding dismantling of exploratory well and restoration of the land to the owner.

Since action was not taken, the villagers gheraoed the tahsildhar. Villagers of Neduvasal, Nallandarkoil and surrounding villages have been stoutly opposing the Centre’s move to explore hydrocarbons in the region.