Students' group set 7 days deadline for ONGC

Sivsagar, Sep 1 (UNI) The ONGC-students' groups stand off over the Company's oil exploration rig near the historic Ranghar in Sivsagar district refused to die down with the All Tai Ahom Students Union (ATASU) warning of intensive agitation if drilling was not stopped within seven days. ATASU and Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad leadership, setting the week's deadline yesterday, demanded that the ONGC should stop all exploration and production work near the ONGC.

The oil giants have already announced the closing down of controversial rig located 2-5 mts away from the Ranghar, with the Archaeological Survey of India setting a radius of 300 mts for any exploration work near a protected monument.

The Tai Ahom bodies demanded that the ONGC should publicly apologise for setting the rig near Ranghar, penalize officers involved in the work and announce an economic package for preserving the historic monument.

The ATASU also demanded the immediate release of its members arrested during the 100-hour blockade, failing which the students' body would restore to an indefinite blockade against the ONGC.

They also called upon mobile telephone companies to move their towers from the vicinity of the Ranghar.

UNI XC-SG KK AE AS1825