The Tragedy of Baghjan – Willful Disregard of Environmental Wellbeing: An Analysis of the Legal Implications Stemming from the Disaster

Abstract

The conflict between development and environment is not a new one. Most of the time, in the name of development, it is nature who needs to sacrifice itself.The recent Baghjan blowout in Assam which subsequently led to a huge fire again proves the hypothesis that development outweighs environment. Drilling in search of natural resources in a biologically diverse area brings detrimental outcomes especially to the nearby ecology and human lives. Due to the fire in the oil field, more than 6000 people had to leave their home and seek shelter elsewhere in search of a safety, away from their disrupted roots, and the impact on the DibruSaikhowa National Park which is adjacent to theBaghjan oilfield is unimaginable. India has seen many industrial disasters including the tragic Bhopal Gas leak but the question here is - did the stakeholders learn anything from the events? It is always the common people and the environment that has to suffer. The Baghjan fire exemplifies how law makers failed to cope up with the country's international obligations and municipal laws as well as the spirit of the Indian Constitution to protect and improve the environment.