A crude oil pipeline owned by Oil India Limited (OIL) ruptured on Monday night in Shalmari Dighalia, Dibrugarh district, Upper Assam. The incident, which took place around 10 pm, resulted in a loud explosion and continuous leakage of crude oil, alarming local residents who feared a potential fire. The oil spread to agricultural fields and fish ponds, leading to reports of fish deaths due to contamination. OIL officials quickly arrived on the scene to manage the leakage, but residents reported breathing difficulties due to the strong odor, which reached a radius of nearly one kilometer. There are concerns that exposure to sunlight and wind could exacerbate the situation by mixing oil with gas, posing significant health risks to humans and animals. A local resident highlighted that without immediate containment measures, the effects on livestock, wildlife, and human health could worsen, noting that similar pipeline ruptures have happened previously.
