The All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU) has suspended its proposed statewide shutdown of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) installations scheduled for August 25 following discussions with the public sector oil and gas company.
The decision was taken after a four-hour meeting between representatives of ATASU and ONGC authorities, during which several issues concerning Assam, including employment opportunities for local people, the location of company offices and the preservation of historical sites, were discussed.
Speaking to reporters in Sivasagar, ATASU president Basanta Gogoi said the organisation decided to put the shutdown programme on hold after receiving a number of assurances from the ONGC authorities.
According to Gogoi, one of the major issues raised during the meeting was employment for local candidates. He said ONGC has agreed to consider the demand for providing employment opportunities to eligible candidates from Assam.
ATASU had also raised concerns over reports and decisions related to the possible shifting of ONGC offices and certain functions outside the state. The students’ body said the company assured its representatives that no ONGC office would be shifted out of Assam.
The discussions also covered concerns regarding the relocation of some of ONGC’s financial operations to Delhi. According to the students’ organisation, company officials explained that the move was part of an effort to centralise financial processes and did not mean that ONGC was shifting its overall operations away from Assam.
Another issue discussed during the meeting was support for students from Assam preparing for the Union Public Service Commission examinations. Gogoi said ONGC has agreed to arrange training and other forms of support to help students from the state prepare for and appear in the UPSC examinations.
The meeting also addressed the condition and preservation of the historic Pohu Garh site in Sivasagar. ONGC authorities assured ATASU that the site would be developed, beautified and preserved, the organisation said.
ATASU had earlier announced protest programmes against ONGC over a number of issues related to employment, administrative decisions and the protection of historical and cultural sites in Assam. As part of the agitation, the organisation had proposed a statewide shutdown of ONGC operations on August 25.
However, following the discussions and assurances received from the company, the students’ body decided to suspend the proposed shutdown for the time being.
Gogoi said the decision should not be seen as the end of the organisation’s efforts on the issues raised before ONGC. He said ATASU would closely monitor whether the commitments made during the meeting are implemented.
The students’ organisation will take its next course of action based on the progress made by ONGC in fulfilling the assurances given to ATASU, Gogoi added.
