New Delhi: At least 16 people died, and one person sustained injuries after a massive blast occurred at an illegal coal mine in the East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya, on Thursday.
“We have recovered 16 bodies so far. The exact number of labourers present inside the mine at the time of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. More people are feared trapped,” Director General of Police Nongrang stated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the victim’s families and for the injured; Rs 50,000 will be given from the PM National Relief Fund.
The Superintendent of Police, Vikash Kumar, confirmed that the blast occurred in the Thangsku area, and the exact number of people inside the coal mine remains unknown.
“Our team has confirmed that the incident took place this morning, but the number of people inside was not confirmed,” Kumar told PTI.
The officials suspected that most of the victims were workers from Assam, and the Meghalaya Police began the rescue operation. The teams have reached the spot.
A thick layer of black smoke surrounded them after coming out of the mine. Labourers who were working outside the mine gathered in the area. Women and children were also seen at the site.
One person sustained injuries and was immediately taken to the health centre before being referred to Shillong for better medical treatment, according to the police.
The mine was operating illegally, and the exact cause of the blast is yet to be discovered. Inquiry will be underway, Kumar confirmed.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) placed a moratorium on rat-hole coal mining and other unscientific mining practices in Meghalaya in 2014. The decision was made to protect against environmental damage and safety risks while also restricting the illegal transportation of coal extracted through such methods.
Rat-hole mining involves digging of narrow tunnels, usually 3-4 feet high, for workers to enter and extract coal from the mine. The horizontal tunnels are often termed ‘rat-holes,’ as each just about fits one person.
The Supreme Court later affirmed the restrictions and allowed mining only under scientific and regulated procedures with environmental safeguards.
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