March 24, 2018:
Initially villagers were taken aback as they found fire in a land near a rivulet. This incidence occurred on March 22 at Labanchhara of Ujan Maidan under Khowai district in Tripura. After getting the information from the BDO, the SDM Bimbishar Bhattacharjee and Addl DM Uttam Mandal visited the area today and said that ONGC would be informed and take proper steps.
Sources said, a group of 6/7 persons went to their Jhum field. “It is time to set Jhum fields to fire and we went in our field for this purpose. However, we found fire in the land nearby the rivulet and also found a typical smell in the water of the rivulet which gradually spread all over the area”, said one of the villagers of Ujan Maidan. Sources claimed that natural gas which is abundant in the State caused the fire.
Later villagers informed the BDO and he directed engineers to inquire about the incidence. After confirmation from the engineers, today SDM and Addl DM visited the spot. As they lightened a match stick, immediately, the land caught fire – they also found smell of gases. The ONGC Officials will be informed and they will take steps, sources said.
