GUWAHATI: 16 persons were killed while another was injured in a suspected dynamite blast at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya on Thursday morning.
The incident occurred in the coal-rich East Jaintia Hills district. The police confirmed that there was an explosion at the mine. No arrest has been made so far.
“We recovered 16 bodies which are yet to be identified. The injured person was shifted to a hospital in Shillong. He suffered burn injuries,” Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar told this newspaper.
He further stated that a team was rushed to the site following the receipt of information about the incident. Another team from Fire and Emergency Services from the state capital Shillong was on its way to the site of incident.
“We are trying to gather information about the mine owner and the people who are running this mine. After that, we will take necessary actions,” the SP said, adding, “We are waiting for the return of our team. We will register a case based on its report.”
The National Green Tribunal had in 2014 imposed a ban on the mining of coal and its transportation, concerned over rampant unregulated and unsafe mining practices, especially the dangerous application of “rat-hole” mining technique to extract coal.
Despite the ban, the illegal activities have continued. There have been several incidents of coal mine mishaps in the past in Meghalaya that is endowed with the finest qualities of coal.
In 2018, at least 15 miners had got trapped 370 feet inside an illegal coal mine and despite over two-month-long efforts by multiple agencies, including the Indian Navy, the bodies of only a few victims could be retrieved. Five miners had managed to escape by climbing wires.
High daily wages, which could go up to Rs 2,000, draw a lot of people, especially from Assam, to the Meghalaya coal mines.
Earlier, the High Court of Meghalaya had constituted the one-man Justice (Retd) BP Katakey committee to investigate, monitor and recommend measures for environmental restoration following the ban on illegal coal mining in the state.
Activist in the state allege that most of these illegal coal mines are owned by influential people. The Meghalaya government on umpteen times denied any illegal coal mining activities in the state.