Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi has called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the coal mine collapse in Dima Hasao, Assam, that has left at least ten miners trapped. The tragedy, which unfolded on January 6, 2025, when water flooded an illegal rat-hole mine, has drawn attention to the hazardous and illicit mining practices in the region.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gogoi underscored the longstanding issue of illegal rat-hole mining in Assam. He highlighted that despite a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 and reiterated in 2015, these operations continue unabated, endangering lives and the environment.
The MP referenced findings from a 2021 judicial commission led by Justice Brojendra Prasad Katakey, which documented rampant illegal mining activities in Assam’s Digboi forest division. He also pointed to Lok Sabha data from 2019 that revealed systemic failures, weak enforcement, and corruption enabling these dangerous practices to persist.
Illegal coal mining, Gogoi noted, is particularly prevalent in regions like Umrangso and Karbi Anglong, where local operators allegedly operate with impunity. He accused district administrations and law enforcement agencies of negligence, arguing that their inaction has allowed repeated accidents and fatalities to occur.
Gogoi stressed the need for an SIT to thoroughly investigate the current disaster, identify those responsible, and examine the systemic failures that have enabled illegal mining. He called for the investigation to extend to enforcement lapses, potential complicity among local authorities, and the unsafe working conditions that have plagued these mines.
In addition, Gogoi urged for comprehensive mapping of illegal mining sites across Upper Assam, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao, along with initiatives to mitigate the environmental damage caused by these activities.
Expressing deep concern for the safety of the trapped miners and the environmental impact of unchecked mining, Gogoi stated that the people of Assam deserve justice, accountability, and a resolution to this recurring crisis. Rescue operations, now in their fifth day, continue as hopes of finding the miners alive grow dim.