Guwahati: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Thursday expressed grave concern over the deaths of several workers from Assam who were reportedly trapped and killed in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, alleging that the continued operation of illegal coal syndicates points to political and administrative complicity across states.
In a press statement, AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan described the incident as not only tragic but “alarmingly serious”, and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
They said the deaths raise serious questions about the accountability and intent of the governments of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the role of the police and the Central government, in curbing illegal coal mining.
Drawing parallels with a similar tragedy, the party leaders recalled the January 6 incident last year in which at least nine workers died after being trapped in an illegal rat-hole mine in the Tin Kilo Assam Kuvari area near Umrangso in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.
They pointed out that while the earlier incident occurred within Assam, close to the Assam–Meghalaya border, the latest deaths were reported from Umteh, just across the border in Meghalaya and in close proximity to the same region.
According to the AJP, the recurrence of such incidents shows that the ban on rat-hole mining exists “only on paper”, while illegal mining, transportation and coal syndicate operations continue unabated, misleading the public.
Gogoi and Bhuyan said the party has repeatedly flagged issues related to illegal rat-hole mining, unauthorised coal transportation, syndicate operations and illicit financial transactions in areas such as Ledo, Margherita, Karbi Anglong and parts of Dima Hasao.
They said memorandums, along with local-level evidence, have been submitted to authorities ranging from state police chiefs and chief ministers to governors and the Prime Minister.
They also recalled that in January last year, the AJP, along with media personnel, had exposed alleged illegal rat-hole mining activities in Karbi Anglong through on-ground visuals, following which the Assam government constituted a judicial inquiry commission headed by retired Justice Anima Hazarika.
However, the party noted that the commission is yet to submit its report.
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The AJP further alleged that no accountability has been fixed despite the need for legal action against several officials in connection with the Umrangso incident, including senior district and police officials and the then managing director of the Assam Mineral Development Corporation.
Claiming widespread political patronage, the party leaders alleged that illegal coal mining and related activities continue with the tacit “blessings” of authorities in Dispur, Shillong and Itanagar, and even from “the Delhi durbar”.
They argued that such operations could not continue openly— including the movement of coal along national highways and the functioning of syndicates within Assam—without the knowledge of law enforcement, transport or tax authorities.
Warning of serious consequences, the AJP said continued silence and inaction by governments and enforcement agencies would only deepen corruption and allow illegal operations to flourish, while forcing impoverished workers to risk their lives in dangerous conditions, leading to more such tragedies.
