Assam bandhs costly to OIL
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Guwahati, July 02 2013:
Blockades and bandhs in Assam during 2012-13 fiscal has cost Rs 200 crore to the Oil India Limited (OIL) .
Altogether 290 bandhs and blockades were experienced by Oil India Limited (OIL) in the last fiscal in Assam.
Disclosing this today, SK Srivastava who is both chairman and managing director of OIL said that the numerous bandhs and blockades imposed by around 300 organisations in eastern Assam where OIL operates, had cost Rs 200 crore to the company.
He said the actual target of crude oil production was 3.95 million metric tonnes but during the last fiscal OIL produced only 3.71 million metric tonnes.
Srivastava then rued that the loss due to 'external forces' dented OIL's balance sheet, which otherwise showed a gross income of Rs 11456 crore in the 2012-13 fiscal.
Oil India Limited headquarter is located at Duliajan in eastern Assam.
The company has in less than a decade moved beyond to have 65 domestic and international exploration blocks besides acquiring stakes for shale gas production in the US.
Demands from social and militant organisations to the company have also been disturbing to the OIL.
According to sources, the loss of Rs 200 crore was primarily due to the shortfall in production.
Vehicles destroyed in arson or damaged by bandh supporters and also other facilities destroyed have not been included in the estimation of the loss of the last fiscal.