Use of gas leaking from Tengratila field poses risks

Gas is gushing out through different leaks of Tengratila-Chhatak gas
field in Sunamganj.
People of Tengratila and its adjacent areas fear big accident at any
moment due to the gas leakage.
Villagers are using the leaked gas in household works like cooking
food by using locally available technology amid serious risks.
On June 10, while visiting the site, local people said due to
explosion in the gas field in the past gas is coming out through
different leaks.
Recently, the level of gas leakage through the openings has increased.
In 2006, due to inefficiency of Canadian gas exploration company Niko,
there took place two explosions and a fire incident in the Tangratila
gas field.
The explosions and fire burnt gas worth several thousand crores of
taka. After the explosion, gas started coming out through different
leaks in canals, beels (water bodies) and farmland.
Later, though the main well was sealed off, it was not possible to
fully plug the leaks.
Sudden surge in gas leakage recently has created panic among the
people around the gas field.
People cover the leaks with bowl and connect the same to the kitchen
stoves using pipe and cook food.
Nearly 50 families are using the leaked gas using such dangerous
technique, which may cause fire or explosion at any time.
While visiting the house of one Abul Kashem, it was found that they
set a gas connection from under water of a canal using a plastic pipe
and is using it for cooking.
Kashem’s wife does not know about the risk, rather she said it is not
an offence to use gas with their own technology.
She thinks that this would not cause any loss to the gas company or
the government.
By using the gas this way, they could save money for fuel. There was
no security guard or technician to take care of the unprotected well
of Tangratila gas field. Nor was there any initiative to plug the
leaks.
(UNB, Sunamganj)

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