High-level team visits Manipur's Leimakhong oil spill site for assessment

Guwahati: Following the heavy fuel leakage at the Leimakhong power plant in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, a high-level team led by Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, accompanied by a Central team including scientists and seven administrative secretaries, visited the site on Friday (January 12), to assess the impact on the nearby villages in the state's Imphal West district.

The team examined the security situation, collected samples of the fuel and contaminated water, and investigated various aspects of the area.

A day earlier, state Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in response to the incident, declared that the state security forces would safeguard the plant. He also formed a three-member panel, chaired by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Ashutosh Kumar Sinha, to probe the incident.

Chief Minister Singh, while expressing relief on social media platform Facebook wrote, "The scheme of the miscreants to contaminate Nambul river, Imphal river, which merge into Loktak Lake, has been foiled by the grace of God. I urge the public to remain vigilant."

While the thick black oil was prevented from reaching major rivers, affecting Kanto Sabal and its adjacent villages, the contaminated water remains a concern.

An order issued by Manipur Joint Secretary (Home) Mayenbam Veto Singh outlined the probe panel's composition, with a 15-day deadline for submitting the inquiry report.

Simultaneously, a faculty team from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Manipur, inspected the contaminated streams in Leimakhong.

Following their inspection of the affected sites and the power plant, the experts participated in a high-level meeting led by Chief Minister Singh, to address the January 10 oil spillage incident in Leimakhong.

In attendance were Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) faculties, Indian Coast Guard representatives, and officials from various departments. The meeting focused on discussing prompt government responses to effectively control the heavy fuel spill into streams.

The government's commitment to resolving the issue is evident, with the affected area being sealed and ample security forces deployed. An FIR has been registered to address the heavy fuel leakage from the Leimakhong power station. The government is dedicated in identifying the incident's cause and ensuring a comprehensive remediation process.

On the other hand, Thawai Mirel, an Imphal-based organisation, alleged that the heavy fuel release was intentional, part of a "genocidal campaign," against the valley area residents. The group called for a thorough investigation and legal action against those involved.