Gas bursts tube-well, pushes water up to 150 feet in B'baria

14 March 2010, 18:00 PM

Sheikh Md Shahidul Islam, Brahmanbaria

Exploded by pressure of underground gas, this tube-well at Barabakail village in Majlishpur upazila of Brahmanbaria district has been emitting huge gas for the last two days, sending forth water up to 150 feet above the ground.Photo: STAR

Gas and water are leaping up to 150 feet above the ground following explosion of a deep tube-well at Barabakail village under Majlishpur upazila of the district early Friday. As the tube-well at Shahjahan Mia's home near Location 3 of Titas Gas Field suddenly exploded early Friday, gas and water started coming out with high speed and terrible sound through the five-inch diameter tube-well, villagers said. The water and gas are flooding croplands and polluting the air. The large-scale gas emission has caused panic among the people of adjacent areas. Several families have stopped cooking in fear of fire incident. A team from Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL) visited the spot on Friday and Saturday but they could not solve the problem. When contacted, BGFCL Managing Director Md Nurul Islam said, "Although water and gas are coming out through the deep tube-well with high speed and roaring sound, there is nothing to be panicked. We will take proper action to solve the problem soon." On the other hand, Shahjahan Mia, owner of the deep tube-well, said, "The BGFCL authorities are yet to take any action to stop this dangerous gas emission. The BGFCL team that visited the spot has said at the moment they are unable to control such a serious gas emission. They will only make a drain and set a big pipe at the spot to dispose of the rushing water." Locals said gas is also coming out through almost all the tube-wells and thousands of holes at Shyampur, Anandapur and Majlishpur villages and Loiska Beel (water body) near Location No 3 of Brahmanbaria Titas Gas Field since 2006. The BGFCL authorities are yet to take any sustainable step to stop it. "My team has visited the spot and is now observing the situation. A police team has been deployed on the spot. There is nothing to get panicky," Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Md Haiul Quaiyum said.