Drilling in the Sundarbans being delayed for olive ridleys

Agartala, Mar 6: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has deferred its drilling operations in the Bay of Bengal, off the Sagar Islands in the Sundarbans because of the movement of the endangered olive ridleys.

Official sources said the ONGC had already allotted a ship for drilling operation in the Bay of Bengal off the Sundarbans, but the drilling operation could not be taken up because of the movement of the olive ridleys.

'' The wildlife organisations and the forest and environment departments are not allowing us now to take up the drilling operation. These organisations and departments feel that the drilling operation would not only disturb the movement of olive ridleys but also may cause their death,'' the sources said.

Thousands of endangered olive ridleys flock the coastal areas of West Bengal and Orissa this time every year to lay eggs. ''We have to wait till these olive ridleys leave the coastal areas of the Sundarbans,'' they added.

UNI