A blast at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district killed 18 miners on Thursday. Police received the information regarding the mishap at around 11 a.m., said Vikash Kumar, East Jaintia Hills district’s Superintendent of Police. A team rushed to the spot and confirmed an explosion suspected to have been caused by the detonation of dynamite. Many people are feared to be trapped at an unspecified depth. 18 bodies were recovered and an injured person was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
This is one of the most severe mining-related incidents since July 2012, when 15 miners died in a flooded mine in the State’s South Garo Hills district. Two years after the incident, National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the hazardous mining method. At present, both the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Relief Force have been deployed for rescue operations and recovery efforts. An inquiry has been initiated by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. He said, accountability would be fixed and those responsible will be punished. The CM also announced an ex gratia of ₹3 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased worker.
Despite the ban of illegal mining, there have been many instances of coal mining accidents, killing at least 50 workers to date. Rat hole mining requires digging holes about 4-5 feet in height, allowing an adult to squat and work, making it a very risky task to do. Stricter regulations are required to curb illegal mining not only in Meghalaya but across the country, only then the lives of the workers would be saved and the environment would be protected.
