NEW DELHI: Priyanka Patil, Neha Suryavanshi and Kuljeet Kaur Randhawa were buzzing with excitement when their choppers took off for the BPA offshore platform in Bassein and Satellite project, Indias largest gas field 80 kms off the Mumbai coast, from ONGCs Juhu helibase in the third week of March.
It was the first deployment on an offshore platform for the young engineers and they were looking forward to spending 14 days, the standard stint. But little did they realise then that the mesh of steel jutting from the Arabian Sea was going to be their home for the 45 days – and still counting.
There are seven other women engineers who are on offshore duty beyond the stipulated period. Newly-married Shrutika Singh, for example, has been on Samudra Sarvekshak, a geotechnical vessel, for 45 days now. Her husband, Gagan Gupta has been on Neelam platform for the same number of days.
They are among hundreds of other ONGC engineers, technicians and geologists who opted to continue at their remote or isolated project sites on land after the countrywide anti-coronavirus lockdown was announced.
“It was our choice (to continue). We are proud to keep the show going. As ONGCians, this is our contribution to the country. Hum navyug ki nari hain, phool nahi chingari hain (we are new-age women. Not wallflowers but sparks). We are working with the same energy today as we did on the first day,” Priyanka told TOI in a telecon with the BPA platform.
“Our first concern was to maintain production. It is a brownfield project. If production stalls, it will be difficult to restore. I said that as the nations energy soldiers we cannot abandon our posts. I am happy to say we were all on the same page,” GM production and platform boss K. M Rao said.
What prompted them — and their colleagues elsewhere — to continue beyond their tenure was to avoid the smallest chance of coronavirus piggybacking on the relief crew and upending operations. Today it is their grit and commitment, combined with the care shown by the management led by chairman Shashi Shanker, that keeps them going.
“CMD has held video-conference thrice. Asked every platform about food, PPEs etc. This shows the management is there for us. It gives us the confidence to continue, we feel safe. Our seniors are supportive. Our families are proud of us. That makes us happy," Neha said.
“ONGC is like mini-India. Whenever there is a problem, all of us come together to face the odds. We are touched when colleagues at sites tell the chairman and directors to stay safe when we call to enquire about their well-being. They tell us that if the management is safe then they know they will be taken care of and do their job without worry. Our priority is now to relieve them and we are working on it,” Alka Mittal, director (HR) said.
Kuljeet said they do miss their families but things have improved after skype was allowed for video chats. "Our families are very supportive. That makes us happy."
Priyanka summed up the spirit of an ONGC employee when she said: "Yes, we want to be back with our faRead More – Source
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