AASU assures unconditional support to ONGC

New Delhi, Aug.22 : The All Assam Students Union (AASU) has assured unconditional support to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) and has said that it will partner the Oil major in the latter's drive to enhance productivity in the north-eastern state, by ensuring uninterrupted operations there.

A spokesperson said this after a two-hour long meeting between the student body leaders and ONGC CMD and Directors at the Navratna's office in New Delhi on 22nd August 2008.

AASU was represented by S Sonwal, MP from Dibrugarh, Dr. S Bhattacharya, AASU advisor, S P Ray, AASU President, Tapan Gogoi, AASU General Secretary, and other leaders. ONGC CMD R S Sharma, Director (Human Resource) Dr. A K Balyan and Director (Onshore) A K Hazarika, along with senior executives from ONGC Assam Asset had very fruitful discussions with the AASU team.

The challenges in ONGC's Assam operations, emanating from the agitations there were presented to the AASU representatives at the beginning of the meeting, especially the loss in productivity due to the bandhs and barricades.

Besides issues related to operational activities, the developmental issues in the state were also discussed. ONGC appreciated AASU's approach for corporate support, in collaboration with the district authorities there, to augment healthcare facilities (like improving Diagnostics facilities) in hospitals in Sibsagar district, facilitate improvement in computer training, support the District Library, and increase training of ITI-qualified local youth in ONGC facilities to sharpen their professional skills, equipping them for employment opportunities.

Appreciating the positive stance of the ONGC management to the developmental demands of Assam, AASU representatives assured their unconditional support and cooperation to the operations of ONGC in the agitation-ridden north-eastern state.

MP S Sonwal said that AASU will appeal to people in the state, to cooperate with ONGC's operations, as the "economic prosperity of ONGC may get translated to economic prosperity of the region". AASU also said that they will ask other pressure groups there to exempt ONGC operations from bandhs and barricades, in the broader economic interest of the state.

ANI