ABSTRACT
The Brahmaputra River Basin (BRB) is a rich reservoir of natural resources, including biodiversity and sedimentary deposits. This chapter analyses the conflict arising out of the seismic survey proposed by Oil India Limited (OIL), and people's perception and stand against it. It focuses on two particular districts of upper Assam which have the richest oil reserves, that is, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts. The Northeastern region and especially Assam is constantly being explored for oil either to meet the energy requirement of the country or to save foreign exchange. In the petroleum industry, the most common and effective method of obtaining a clear picture of the Earth's subsurface is seismic exploration. Seismic exploration is the use of seismic energy to probe beneath the surface of the earth, usually as an aid in searching for economic deposits of oil, gas or minerals. The proposed oil exploration on the BRB by the OIL has therefore come under attack from several organisations.
