GUWAHATI: An organisation in Assam has pressed the state government to make public the report of a judicial enquiry commission that probed the January 6, 2025 rat-hole coal mine tragedy in the Umrangso area of Dima Hasao district.
Nine persons were trapped in a coal mine due to flooding. Their bodies were recovered after a 44-day search and rescue operation carried out by multiple agencies, including Indian Navy and National Disaster Response Force. The last five bodies were retrieved on February 19.
The judicial enquiry commission, headed by Justice (retired) Anima Hazarika of the Gauhati High Court, had probed the incident.
Ahead of its constitution, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated on January 16 that the commission would submit its report to the government within three months.
Daniel Langthasa, convenor of the Sixth Schedule Protection Committee and former member of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), also known as the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, expressed resentment that the report has not been made public yet.
“The commission was given three months to submit its report. Six months have elapsed but the government has not made the report public,” he told the media.
“There are no updates. People involved in the illegal activities are yet to be punished,” he added.
One Punish Nunisa was earlier arrested by the police in connection with the incident.
Langthasa said there had been several mine tragedies in the district in the past but justice was denied to the families of the victims. He asked how rat-hole coal mining continued in the district when the National Green Tribunal had banned it in 2014.
During an examination conducted after the mine incident, authorities found the presence of 220 mines in the Umrangso area. The chief minister had then stated that the Mines and Minerals Department would take steps to close all existing rat-hole mines wherever they are found, in consultation with central agencies.
Langthasa asked how the NCHAC, which administers the district, had no idea about the illegal operation of such a huge number of mines. The autonomous council is ruled by the BJP. Debolal Gorlosa is its Chief Executive Member.
Meanwhile, Langthasa expressed deep concern over mysterious deaths and kidnappings in the district that was hit by militancy for a few years until the insurgent groups making peace with the government.
“There have been several cases in the recent years where people were killed or kidnapped. The families are still waiting for justice,” Langthasa said.
His father Nindu Langthasa, then a member of the council, and then Chief Executive Member Purnendu Langthasa, were murdered in 2007. He said the two families have been waiting for justice for 18 years.
He said it was a social crisis that the youth of the district were taking to drugs and indulging in crimes, including theft and dacoity.
“These things have been happening for last 4-5 years. We never had such things in our society earlier,” Langthasa said, adding that people commit such crimes when they have no expectation from those in power.
He alleged that the land in the district, protected for tribals, is being converted to private land and given to private parties.
“The council is empowered to protect customary laws and land laws. But land is now being given to private parties for coke and other industries without consulting village authorities,” he alleged.