Tinsukia, Jan 23: The Assam government is carrying out an operation to close rat-hole coal mines in the state, following the tragedy in the Dima Hasao district, officials said on Thursday.
At least nine labourers were trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in Umrangso on January 9 after a sudden gush of water flooded it. The bodies of four miners were retrieved, while five are still missing.
The incident put the state government on the back foot with the opposition alleging that the incident happened due to the “utter negligence” of the administration.
They also questioned the government how a huge number of rat-hole mines were still in operation when it was banned in 2014.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole mining in 2014. However, coal is still extracted through this dangerous method in the Northeast.
Assam DGP G P Singh, who has been promoted as CRPF DG recently but yet to take charge, ordered the closure of all the rat-hole mines in Tinsukia and Dima Hasao districts at a recent review meeting.
Singh during his recent visit to Tinsukia directed authorities to take strict action, particularly in the Margherita-Ledo region where rat-hole mining is rampant.
Local authorities have identified many areas where such activities are prevalent, such as Tipong, Aradhara, Lalapahar, Paharpur, Jharna Basti and Bomgara.
“Several rat-hole mines have been shut over the last few days and a search is on to find more such mines. The workers have been asked to leave the area,” an official told PTI.
Many illegal mine owners have themselves shut their mines and asked their workers to go home till “the matter subsides”, and will start their work again after some time, he said.
An official in Dima Hasao district said that nine rat-hole mines have been shut in recent times and a search for more such illegal mines is underway.
When contacted, Lekhapani Forest Ranger Parishmita Neog told PTI that teams are being deployed to identify illegal mining sites in all possible locations of Tinsukia district.
“Over the next few days, we will work to shut down these illegal operations. Though it is challenging to determine the exact number of such mines, we suspect that many of them are operating in remote and hilly terrains. Efforts are underway to eliminate them,” she added.
Neog said that so far no arrests have been made but if concrete evidence is found, workers and operators involved in illegal mining will face legal action.
Tinsukia’s Superintendent of Police Gaurav Abhijit Dilip visited border areas, where illegal rat-hole mining activities are suspected to be taking place, to review the scenario.
Rescue operations by multiple state and central agencies are continuing to locate the trapped miners inside the illegal rat-hole coal mine at Umrangso. (PTI)
