Meghalaya: 18 killed in blast at illegal coal mine

At least 18 workers were killed in a blast at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, the superintendent of police said.

One person with burn injuries had been taken to hospital, East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said.

“We are unable to tell the exact number of workers trapped inside because of [smoke] and fire,” Vikash Kumar had told Scroll on Thursday evening.

The National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force “are trying to rescue them”, he had said, adding that the workers are “locals and non-locals”.

The incident occurred on Thursday morning at Mynsyngat, Thangsko. The site is located about 40 km from the district headquarters.

Manish Kumar, the deputy commissioner of East Jaintia Hills, told Scroll that the unauthorised mine is located in a “very remote area”.

The incident is being investigated, Manish Kumar added.

A first information report has been registered in the matter.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident and promised legal action.

The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who died. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.

In 2014, the National Green Tribunal imposed a ban on rat-hole mining of coal in Meghalaya on the grounds that it was unsafe and unscientific....

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