Jorhat: Mariani MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi, in a statement to the media today, strongly criticized the recent protests surrounding oil exploration near the Gibbon Sanctuary in Jorhat, Assam, accusing protestors of spreading misinformation and deflecting attention from key issues.
Kurmi questioned the protestors' intent, asking if they had ever taken any genuine steps to protect the sanctuary, such as planting a single tree. He particularly targeted Rohit Choudhury, an RTI activist, claiming that the information shared by him regarding oil and gas exploration in the region was misleading.
The MLA highlighted that while Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the popular Orunodoi 3.0 scheme, the protests seemed to be a deliberate attempt to divert attention from this initiative and conceal the trading scams involving political leaders, including those from Congress.
Kurmi also highlighted the Gazette notification on the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Gibbon Sanctuary, questioning why no objections were raised at the time of its issuance, but now activists are using the issue as a smokescreen to mislead and hide corrupt practices.
Emphasizing the importance of oil exploration for the state's growing energy needs and Government of India’s and Government of Assam’s commitment to this national imperative, Kurmi reassured the public that the exploration efforts would not harm the environment or the gibbons. He also said that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor CM Sarma would allow any project that compromised the natural habitat.
Kurmi clarified that the Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta oil drilling site is located 13 km away from the Gibbon Sanctuary and not within its boundaries. He also assured that if any trees are felled as part of the project, Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta will undertake compensatory measures. He presented a map during his address to demonstrate the aerial distance between the drilling site and the gibbon sanctuary - which is 13 kms.
Kurmi's comments come amid rising misinformation from activists, with claims that oil drilling will endanger the gibbons' habitat. Kurmi's assertive stance reinforced both the Government of Assam's and India's position on responsible exploration, stressing that the project poses no threat to the sanctuary or its wildlife.
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