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India is home to many national parks, sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves. They are established to ensure the survival of many primitive species like the Asiatic Lion, one-horned Rhinoceros, and White tigers and avoid their extinction. They serve to ensure their survival habitat and preserve them. They also serve as home to many petroleum products, which recently caused Oil India, an Indian-Petroleum infrastructure company, to explore hydrocarbons in DibruSaikhowa National Park. It is located in Tinsukia, Assam, in Dinjan-1. It opens up new opportunities to harness the energy from hydrocarbons and utilise them effectively in required areas. OIL is making new approaches to achieving this goal. 

Definition of Hydrocarbons

  • They are a subset of natural gas. 
  • They are compounds consisting only of carbon and hydrogen atoms in their structure. 
  • They are clean energy sources because they combust completely. 
  • They act as a cleaner energy source than conventional sources like fossil fuels. 

Reasons to Explore Hydrocarbons

Harnessing oil and natural gas resources is essential for every economy. It makes the country self-sufficient in terms of petroleum and reduces the burden of imports from other countries. The recent discovery of Hydrocarbons in Tinsukia, Assam by Oil India requires in-depth exploration and investigation and systemic planning. The reasons for Oil India to explore hydrocarbons in Dibru-Saikhowa National park are listed below:

  • The Dinjan-1 well is assumed to generate gas per day at 115000 in terms of standard cubic metres, which can help in increasing the supply of oil and natural gas. 
  • They serve as cooking fuel in households and a transportation fuel in automobiles, making them highly important to explore and use.
  • It also helps in the generation of electricity and heating purposes in factories.

Highlights of the Incident

  • Recently, the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park gained a lot of attention when a nearby situated oil field of Oil India’s natural gas well witnessed a fire explosion resulting in a huge public disruption.
  • Following this incident, the National Green Tribunal asked for an answer from the Ministry of Environment, OIL India, Pollution Control Board of Assam, and Biodiversity Board of Assam to ask them the basis of permitting the company to drill in Dibru Saikhowa National Park.
  • It is situated in the Tinsukia district of Assam state, with the Brahmaputra river sailing along the Southside of the district.
  • It is a national park as well as a biosphere reserve.
  • Situated in a big field of Brahmaputra, the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is a habitat for many endangered flora and extinct fauna.
  • The park is also designated as an ‘important Bird area’.
  • The national park is also well known for its ‘Salix Tree’, which is extremely famous due to its natural regeneration capacity.

Change in Designation Over Time

  • Earlier in 1890, this region was called Dibru Reserve Forest. Yet, additional areas were added to the area in 1920 and 1933.
  • Again in 1986, the two reserve forests were combined with a shared land area of 650 km.

When was Dibru-Saikhowa National Park declared as a biosphere reserve? It was declared a national park in the month of July 1997 and is one of the 19 biodiversity hotspots. 

Which animals are found in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park?

Different animals are found to live in Dibru Saikhowa National Park. It is widely conceptualised which animals are found in Dibru Saikhowa National Park, and zoologists have propounded several fauna names. Prominent animals that are discovered are listed below:

  1. White-winged wood duck. 
  2. Feral horses
  3. Water buffalo
  4. Elephants
  5. Gangetic Dolphins
  6. Sloth Bear
  7. Assamese Macaque
  8. Chinese Pangolin
  9. Jungle cat
  10. Malayan Giant Squirrel
  11. Hog deer
  12. Small Indian Civet
  13. Clouded leopard
  14. Slow loris
  15. Rhesus Macaque
  16. Capped Langur
  17. Tiger
  18. Leopard
  19. Wild Boar

Apart from this, faunaeveral birds and plant species co-exist in the national park. Some of the names are listed below:

  1. Brahminy Duck
  2. Great Grebe
  3. Yellow Bitterne
  4. Bengal Florican
  5. Bar-headed goose
  6. Pale capped pigeon
  7. Spot-billed pelican
  8. Openbill stork
  9. Swamp Francolin
  10. Lesser Adjutant Stork
  11. Indian Shag
  12. Crested Serpent Eagle
  13. Grey Heron
  14. Purple Heron

Conclusion

It can be rightly concluded from the details mentioned above and facts provided about Oil India exploring hydrocarbons in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park would be beneficial for the Indian economy. Also, since a major world crisis is going on and there is an acute shortage of oil supply, the international extracting action of oil and natural gas from this site can help lower the prices and benefit everyone.