Bhubaneswar: In a major development that could change the fortunes of the people belonging to the Gop area of Puri District, Oil India Limited has signed an agreement with 37 farmers and taken their land on lease for three years as the company is said to have found natural gas and petroleum reserves there. OIL has discovered traces of oil and gas during its yearlong survey and has plans for going forward in extracting the resources.
The Company had conducted seismic survey in the area two years back and found reserves. As it wants to undertake further exploration works, the Company has started taking land from the farmers on lease. In the first phase eight acres of land has been taken from them. Petroleum and natural gas deposits were detected at two places of Gop Block in Puri district at Kushupur, Bania Sahi and Basti areas.
A team headed by the General Manager of Oil India Limited signed agreements with the farmers and handed over the lease amount cheques to 37 farmers.