Assam mine tragedy: Six-year-old query from Supreme Court on rat-hole mines remains unanswered
2 days, 2 hours ago

Assam mine tragedy: Six-year-old query from Supreme Court on rat-hole mines remains unanswered

The Hindu  

An oral question from the Supreme Court to the Union government continues to remain unanswered even as rescue workers recover bodies of workers who died trapped in a flooded rat-hole coal mine at Dima Hasao district in Assam. On January 11, 2019, nearly six years ago, the top court had asked whether rat-hole mines could possibly operate in the northeast hills without the “connivance” of officials. The incident at East Jaintia Hills occurred four years after the National Green Tribunal, in April 2014, had banned rat-hole mining and illegal transport of coal “forthwith” in Meghalaya. The ban, seconded by the Supreme Court, was triggered by the trapping of 30 coal labourers inside a rat-hole mine at Nongalbibra in the South Garo Hill district of Meghalaya in July 2012. In its July 2019 judgment on an appeal filed by the State of Meghalaya against the ban, the Supreme Court agreed with the NGT’s conclusion that “illegal and unscientific mining neither can be held to be in the interest of people of the area, the people working in the mines nor in the interest of environment”.

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History of this topic

Assam mining tragedy: Rescue operations enter day 7
3 days, 8 hours ago

Assam mining tragedy: Rescue operations enter day 7

Deccan Chronicle  

The joint search and rescue operations are underway at the rat-hole coal mine at 3 Kilo Umrangso area in Assam's Dima Hasao to locate 5 other trapped workers.The rescue teams of the Indian army, Indian Navy, NDRF and other agencies have retrieved four bodies from the flooded rat-hole mine. The rescue operations are still underway, with five miners still missing.A …

3 more bodies recovered from flooded Assam mine, clock ticks for trapped workers
4 days, 14 hours ago

3 more bodies recovered from flooded Assam mine, clock ticks for trapped workers

India Today  

The bodies of three more workers trapped in a flooded 'rat hole' coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district were recovered on Saturday, officials said, as rescue operations entered their sixth day. The deceased were among nine workers trapped inside the quarry in Umrangso on January 6 after a sudden surge of water inundated the abandoned mine near the Assam-Meghalaya …

Assam coal mine tragedy: Congress' Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM, seeks SIT probe
4 days, 14 hours ago

Assam coal mine tragedy: Congress' Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM, seeks SIT probe

India Today  

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a SIT probe into the mining tragedy in Assam, which left several labourers in a coal quarry dead. He also alleged that "illegal mining continues unchecked" due to "weak law enforcement and local complicity" in the northeastern state. Illegal mining continues unchecked in Assam, …

Assam coal mine tragedy: Bodies of three more miners retrieved amid ongoing rescue efforts
4 days, 14 hours ago

Assam coal mine tragedy: Bodies of three more miners retrieved amid ongoing rescue efforts

New Indian Express  

GUWAHATI: The bodies of three more miners were recovered from the rat-hole coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district on Saturday, raising the death toll to four. A joint rescue operation by the Army, Navy, and NDRF continued as five miners remain trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry in the Umrangso area, about 250 km from Guwahati, after a sudden …

Unchanged water level affects Assam coal mine rescue operations
5 days, 20 hours ago

Unchanged water level affects Assam coal mine rescue operations

The Hindu  

The unchanged level of murky water has affected the operations to rescue at least eight miners trapped inside a rat-hole coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district since the morning of January 6. Deep divers from the Indian Navy, personnel from the Army, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, ONGC, Coal India Limited, and the district administration were …

Assam mine tragedy: Rescue ops continue for 4th day, efforts on to dewater shaft
6 days, 14 hours ago

Assam mine tragedy: Rescue ops continue for 4th day, efforts on to dewater shaft

India Today  

Rescue operations by multiple state and central agencies to save eight workers trapped inside an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district continued for the fourth day on Thursday, with a major focus to dewater the flooded shaft. As a result of heavy rain, water gushed into the 300-foot-deep illegal mine situated in Umrangso, a remote industrial town …

Assam mining tragedy: Rescue operations on for 4th day, CIL brings heavy-duty pump from Maharashtra
6 days, 14 hours ago

Assam mining tragedy: Rescue operations on for 4th day, CIL brings heavy-duty pump from Maharashtra

New Indian Express  

UMRANGSO: Rescue operations by multiple state and central agencies continued for the fourth day on Thursday to locate trapped miners inside an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Dima Hasao district of Assam, officials said. The search operations resumed early in the morning after the dewatering exercise all night and the Remotely Operated Vehicle has gone inside the flooded shaft, a …

Assam mine: One body recovered from flooded Indian mine as rescuers search for trapped men
1 week, 1 day ago

Assam mine: One body recovered from flooded Indian mine as rescuers search for trapped men

CNN  

Guwahati, India - The body of a miner was recovered from a flooded coal mine in a remote district of India’s northeastern state of Assam on Wednesday, two days into the search for nine men trapped below ground. The mine, which is 300 feet deep and has multiple underground tunnels, is thought to have flooded on Monday morning after miners …

Three feared dead as mine accident traps workers in India’s Assam
Top News
1 week, 1 day ago

Three feared dead as mine accident traps workers in India’s Assam

Al Jazeera  

Rescue operations still under way as nine others remain trapped in flooded Assam coal mine. Three miners are feared dead inside a flooded coal mine in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, with rescue efforts ongoing to save nine others. Rescue teams have spotted three bodies but have not been able to recover them yet, the local authorities in Assam’s …

Several workers feared trapped in Assam coal mine after water seeps in: Police
1 week, 1 day ago

Several workers feared trapped in Assam coal mine after water seeps in: Police

Hindustan Times  

An unspecified number of workers are feared trapped inside a coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district since Monday morning after underground water seeped into the mine, said officials. According to officials, several workers went inside the coal mine operated by the mines and minerals department of the state government at a place called Tin Kilo in Umrangshoo region of …

Assam: Several labourers feared trapped after water enters coal mine, rescue operations on
Top News
1 week, 2 days ago

Assam: Several labourers feared trapped after water enters coal mine, rescue operations on

India TV News  

Several workers were feared trapped inside a coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district on Monday, after a sudden gush of water flooded the site, officials said. The State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force are also on their way to the incident site to aid in the efforts," the CM said. Dima Hasao Superintendent of Police …

9 trapped in flooded rat-hole mine in Assam, rescue operation launched
1 week, 2 days ago

9 trapped in flooded rat-hole mine in Assam, rescue operation launched

India Today  

In a grim development from Assam's Dima Hasao district, nine workers are trapped inside a 'rat hole' coal mine after water gushed into the 300-foot-deep quarry. After the incident, specialised teams from the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force launched a joint operation to rescue the workers. In a similar incident in December 2018, …

Rat-hole miners roped in to rescue child stuck inside borewell for over 48 hours
3 weeks ago

Rat-hole miners roped in to rescue child stuck inside borewell for over 48 hours

India Today  

Efforts to rescue 3-year-old Chetna continue in Rajasthan's Kotputli, over 48 hours since she fell into a borewell. Chetna fell into a 700-feet deep borewell in the Kotputli district of Rajasthan on Monday evening and got stuck at 150 feet. The technique delivered huge success last year in November, as a team of seven rat-hole miners rescued 41 workers trapped …

None of 26,000 rat-hole mines closed yet, Meghalaya HC told
8 months ago

None of 26,000 rat-hole mines closed yet, Meghalaya HC told

Hindustan Times  

None of the 26,000 abandoned rat-hole mines in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya has so far been closed despite an order, posing a threat of loss of life to humans as well as livestock, according to an interim report of a committee formed to monitor the mining and transportation of coal in the north-eastern state. The National Green Tribunal …

Fire in Nagaland’s ‘rat-hole’ coal mine kills many
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Fire in Nagaland’s ‘rat-hole’ coal mine kills many

The Hindu  

GUWAHATI Six workers were killed and four others seriously injured after a fire broke out in a rat-hole coal mine in Nagaland’s Wokha district in the afternoon of January 25. The district officials did not provide details of the mishap but local MLA Achumbemo Kikon said the fire incident was reported from a rat-hole coal mine between 12:30 and 1 …

What are ‘rat miners’? Controversial specialists brought in for final stretch of India tunnel rescue
1 year, 1 month ago

What are ‘rat miners’? Controversial specialists brought in for final stretch of India tunnel rescue

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A mining technique that has …

How the Controversial Rat-hole Mining Helped in Saving Trapped Workers in Uttarkashi Tunnel
1 year, 1 month ago

How the Controversial Rat-hole Mining Helped in Saving Trapped Workers in Uttarkashi Tunnel

News 18  

After all the efforts to rescue 41 workers trapped inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel failed to make headway, a banned mining practice came to the aid of the rescuers. The Rat-hole mining technique, which began on Monday, helped reduce the distance between the trapped workers and the rescuers as a team of “rat-hole miners” drilled through tonnes of concrete and …

Court scales down ‘grandiose’ Meghalaya plan to check coal mining
1 year, 10 months ago

Court scales down ‘grandiose’ Meghalaya plan to check coal mining

The Hindu  

The High Court of Meghalaya has scaled down a “grandiose” plan of the State government to spend at least ₹374 crore on 160 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force to check the illegal mining and transportation of coal. Thangkhiew, and Justice W. Diengdoh observed the government’s plan to deploy 160 companies of CRPF was “grandiose”. “At any rate, even …

BJP leaders behind illegal coal mining in Assam: Assam Jatiya Parishad
1 year, 10 months ago

BJP leaders behind illegal coal mining in Assam: Assam Jatiya Parishad

The Hindu  

Some Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are behind illegal coal mining in Assam, a State-based political party has alleged in a set of memorandums on February 16. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said illegal rat-hole coal mining has continued in Assam besides Meghalaya and other north-eastern States with the alleged patronage of the BJP leaders and in …

Court-appointed panel refutes Meghalaya Government’s coal estimate
1 year, 11 months ago

Court-appointed panel refutes Meghalaya Government’s coal estimate

The Hindu  

GUWAHATI A court-appointed committee has refuted the Meghalaya Government’s estimate of coal extracted before the National Green Tribunal banned the hazardous rat-hole mining in April 2014. Katakey, a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court, a year ago to ascertain whether the State government cracked down on illegal coal mining as directed by the Supreme Court and the NGT. Former …

The Minor Coal Miners of Meghalaya
2 years ago

The Minor Coal Miners of Meghalaya

News 18  

When the sun sets early in Meghalaya’s Jaintia hills, the scenic beauty resembles a Monet painting. In this picturesque surreal beauty lay the dark, ugly truth of minor coal miners and the harsh reality of human trafficking. In the biting cold of Meghalaya where the hilly roads are covered in rain, most part of the year, one can find the …

Meghalaya High Court takes tough stand on illegal coal
2 years, 2 months ago

Meghalaya High Court takes tough stand on illegal coal

The Hindu  

The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the State government to ensure “not an ounce of illegally-mined coal” is allowed to be transported in trucks or other vehicles. The court told Meghalaya’s Chief Secretary and Director-General of Police that they would be accountable if any form of illegally-mined coal is discovered being transported in the State. “The DGP will instruct …

Judicial survey of coal mining site in Assam elephant reserve ordered
2 years, 4 months ago

Judicial survey of coal mining site in Assam elephant reserve ordered

The Hindu  

The Gauhati High Court has ordered a judicial survey of an area near an eastern Assam national park where a unit of Coal India Limited is said to be carrying out mining operations in violation of environmental laws. Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia directed the Tinsukia district judge to study the Tikok Extension open cast project close to the Dehing …

Rat-Hole Coal Mining: Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Implement SC & NGT Directions
2 years, 7 months ago

Rat-Hole Coal Mining: Meghalaya High Court Directs State To Implement SC & NGT Directions

Live Law  

The Meghalaya High Court has recently directed the State Government to comply with all the directions issued by the Apex Court and the National Green Tribunal with respect to rat-hole mining, within four weeks. Thangkhiew and Justice W. Diengdoh observed, "While it is a matter of regret that orders passed by the Supreme Court and by the NGT continue to …

5 Trapped for 14 Days in Meghalaya Mine, Navy Joins Rescue Efforts
3 years, 7 months ago

5 Trapped for 14 Days in Meghalaya Mine, Navy Joins Rescue Efforts

News 18  

The Indian Navy, which was able to pull out three bodies from a flooded mine in Meghalaya using a sophisticated machine in 2019, on Sunday joined operations to rescue five miners trapped for 14 days in another such illegal coal mine in the state, an official said. The water level in the mine at Umpleng in East Jaintia Hills district, …

Miners Still Trapped in Meghalaya Coal Mine, Rain Hampers Rescue Efforts
3 years, 7 months ago

Miners Still Trapped in Meghalaya Coal Mine, Rain Hampers Rescue Efforts

News 18  

Heavy rainfall on Tuesday is hampering operations to rescue at least five miners trapped for two days deep inside an illegal rat-hole coal pit in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district, officials said. The district administration has identified five miners four from Assam and one from Tripura who were trapped at the coal pit in the remote Umpleng area of Sutnga …

Meghalaya: 5 labourers trapped following flooding at coal mine in East Jaintia Hills
3 years, 7 months ago

Meghalaya: 5 labourers trapped following flooding at coal mine in East Jaintia Hills

India TV News  

Four labourers from Assam and one from Tripura were feared trapped after a dynamite blast led to the flooding of a coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, a senior police officer said. The delay in identification of the probable site was due to inclement weather, poor night light condition, and non-availability of any eye-witness account," the East …

Five Labourers Feared Trapped After Explosion in Illegal Coal Mine in Meghalaya, FIR Registered
3 years, 7 months ago

Five Labourers Feared Trapped After Explosion in Illegal Coal Mine in Meghalaya, FIR Registered

News 18  

A case was on Monday registered in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills police station on the basis of some eye-witnesses against an incident of illegal rat-hole coal mining which left five labourers feared trapped inside the mine after it collapsed due to a “sudden explosion of dynamite”. The district police were able to identify the probable location of the incident at …

At least five workers from Assam feared trapped in coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills, FIR registered
3 years, 7 months ago

At least five workers from Assam feared trapped in coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills, FIR registered

India Today  

At least five workers from Assam are suspected to be trapped in a coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district after it collapsed due to a “sudden explosion of dynamite". Earlier on Monday, Meghalaya Police said that information has received from SP Silchar that six persons from Assam are trapped in a coal mine in EJ Hills. One of …

COVID-19 Lockdown: Coal mine labourers stranded as owners protest in Meghalaya; some walk back home to Assam
4 years, 7 months ago

COVID-19 Lockdown: Coal mine labourers stranded as owners protest in Meghalaya; some walk back home to Assam

Firstpost  

Since 3 May, rules have been considerably relaxed for commercial transportation even though coal was listed under ‘essential goods’ from the very beginning. However, local organisations, including the Jaintia Coal Mine Owners and Dealers’ Association and student bodies like the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front and the Khasi Students’ Union, have protested the transport of coal from Assam to cement plants …

Four killed following mudslides at illegal coal mine in Nagaland
5 years, 10 months ago

Four killed following mudslides at illegal coal mine in Nagaland

India TV News  

Four miners were killed following mudslides at an illegal coal mine at Yonglok village in Longleng district of Nagaland, police said Monday. They reportedly got stuck inside the open-cast mine on the Assam-Nagaland border following mudslides, police said. The mine was recently shut down following a state government order banning illegal coal mining and a provisional ban on licensed mining …

'Will not abandon' rescue of Meghalaya miners: Centre, Meghalaya govt assure SC day after navy suspends ops
5 years, 11 months ago

'Will not abandon' rescue of Meghalaya miners: Centre, Meghalaya govt assure SC day after navy suspends ops

Firstpost  

The Centre and the Meghalaya government told the Supreme Court that operations to rescue the 15 miners trapped in a rat-hole mine in the East Jaintia Hills district of the state will not be abandoned. The Centre and the Meghalaya government told the Supreme Court that operations to rescue the miners trapped in a rat-hole mine in the East Jaintia …

Month after Meghalaya mine tragedy, NGT committee asks state police to investigate 1,200 cases of illegal mining
6 years ago

Month after Meghalaya mine tragedy, NGT committee asks state police to investigate 1,200 cases of illegal mining

Firstpost  

The Meghalaya police have been told by the NGT that their probe should reach a logical conclusion after taking into account all 1200 cases of illegal rat-hole mining in East Garo Hills, South-West Khasi Hills and West and East Jaintia Hills districts. An official said the police have been told that their probe should reach a logical conclusion after taking …

Meghalaya’s rat hole traps
6 years ago

Meghalaya’s rat hole traps

The Hindu  

It was the compensation cheque, for ₹1 lakh, that convinced Solibar Rahman, 64, that he would never see his 20-year-old son, Monirul Islam, ever again. Monirul is one of the 15 miners trapped in a coal mine barely 2 ft wide — hence called a ‘rat hole’ — in Meghalaya since December 13. Says Daly, “Today not even a tadpole …

Indian miners trapped in illegal ‘rat-hole’ pit for more than three weeks
6 years ago

Indian miners trapped in illegal ‘rat-hole’ pit for more than three weeks

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Indian rescuers trying to reach …

'Trapped Meghalaya miners should be brought out dead or alive': Supreme Court pulls up state govt over plight of workers
6 years ago

'Trapped Meghalaya miners should be brought out dead or alive': Supreme Court pulls up state govt over plight of workers

Firstpost  

The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Meghalaya government over the plight of the 15 miners who have been trapped in a rat hole coal mine since 13 December. We pray to God they are alive.” The 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal mine in Lumthari village since 13 December, when water from the nearby …

Poverty drives India’s ‘rat-hole’ miners into death traps
6 years ago

Poverty drives India’s ‘rat-hole’ miners into death traps

Al Jazeera  

Twenty days after 15 miners were trapped in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya state, the search for them goes on. 160707062855721 “Rat-hole” mining was banned in 2014 by India’s National Green Tribunal following a petition that said the acidic discharge from the coal mines was polluting the Kopili River downstream. “Both Mozid and Mizanur decided that the only way …

Plight of trapped miners in Meghalaya raises important question: Just how low will mining elite stoop to make a profit?
6 years ago

Plight of trapped miners in Meghalaya raises important question: Just how low will mining elite stoop to make a profit?

Firstpost  

Only by a strange twist of fate will the miners — trapped in the flooded mine at Ksan in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills for over two weeks — survive the catastrophe Only by a strange twist of fate will the miners — trapped in the flooded mine at Ksan in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills for over two weeks — survive …

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