Assam: Artist protests Vedanta's oil exploration in Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary
Guwahati: A local artist has staged a unique protest against the Assam government's decision to allow mining giant Vedanta to explore oil and gas in the eco-sensitive zone of the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Mariani in Jorhat district.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recently given initial approval to Vedanta's Cairn Oil and Gas's proposal for oil and gas exploration drilling in the sanctuary.
This decision has sparked widespread concern among environmentalists and local communities due to the potential risks posed to the endangered Hoolock Gibbons and wild elephants that inhabit the area.
In a bold act of defiance, Marcel Baruah, a budding painter took to the streets of Sivsagar at night to express his opposition to the oil and gas exploration.
He painted on the wall of a half-constructed bypass on NH-37 in Sivasagar, demanding full protection of the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.
The artist's message was clear: the sanctuary's delicate ecosystem must be preserved at all costs.
Marcel Baruah is determined to raise awareness about the issue and mobilize public support for the sanctuary's protection. Despite facing challenges, including the erasure of their artwork by the police administration, Barua remains undeterred.
The project, located near Mariani in upper Assam's Jorhat district, covers an area of 4.49 hectares and aims to explore oil and gas reserves within the sanctuary.
Environmentalists argue that the exploration activities could have severe consequences for the fragile ecosystem and the endangered species that call it home.