Shillong, The Meghalaya High Court on Monday expressed serious concern over what it described as a "distressing" failure of authorities to curb rampant illegal rat-hole coal mining in East Jaintia Hills district that claimed 27, officials said.

Meghalaya HC calls failure to curb illegal rat-hole mining ‘distressing’The HC bench of Judges HS Thangkhiew and W Diengdoh also warned that accountability would be fixed and an independent or central agency probe could be ordered if required.

The observations came as Deputy Commissioner Manish Kumar and Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar of East Jaintia Hills appeared in connection with the February 5 blast at an illegal coal mine in Thangsku area of Mynsngat village, 130 km east of here.

A status report submitted by the district administration cited shortage of manpower, but informed the court that a criminal case had been registered and two persons arrested in connection with the incident.

The bench, however, said the report raised serious concerns and reflected lapses in enforcement.

While refraining from passing detailed directions at this stage, the court directed the authorities to file a comprehensive report within 10 days detailing steps taken across the district to identify and shut illegal mining sites, seize mining equipment and arrest those involved.

The court also ordered that the report must include the status of investigation into an earlier incident on January 14 in the same area, in which a labourer from Assam was killed.

Taking note of the Thirty-Sixth Interim Report filed by the court-appointed committee headed by retired judge B P Katakey, the bench said the findings were alarming.

The report, based on a site visit, documented extensive illegal mining activity not only at Thangsko but also in adjoining areas such as Mopala and Sakhain villages, allegedly in defiance of court orders and the rule of law.

"The report is distressing and reflects dereliction in the discharge of duties by the authorities concerned," the court observed, adding that accountability would be fixed and further orders could be passed for institution of a proper investigation or inquiry, including by an independent or central agency, if required.

On the ground, illegal rat-hole coal mining has continued to claim lives in Meghalaya despite a blanket ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal in 2014, which declared the practice unsafe, unscientific and environmentally destructive.

Rat-hole mining involves digging narrow vertical pits, often extending hundreds of feet underground, with little or no safety measures for workers.

Since 2018, East Jaintia Hills has witnessed a series of deadly accidents linked to illegal mining.

In December 2018, 15 miners were trapped and later died after water flooded an illegal rat-hole mine at Ksan village, an incident that drew national attention and judicial scrutiny.

In the years that followed, several explosions, cave-ins and flooding incidents have been reported, often involving migrant labourers working in remote and inaccessible areas.

Despite repeated court orders and monitoring, fatalities have continued.

In January this year alone, two separate explosions were reported in the Thangsku area, including one on January 14 that killed a labourer from Assam.

Days later, a massive blast on February 5 triggered a fire inside interconnected underground pits, resulting in one of the deadliest mining accidents in recent years.

In response to persistent violations of the NGT ban, the High Court had constituted a judicial monitoring mechanism and later appointed Justice Katakey to oversee compliance with court and tribunal directives.

His interim reports over the years have consistently flagged the continuation of illegal mining, inadequate enforcement and alleged collusion at various levels.

The latest blast has again brought the focus back on the effectiveness of enforcement on the ground.

Rescue operations involving teams from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have continued amid difficult terrain, with authorities acknowledging that underground conditions and connectivity of pits pose major challenges.

The court directed that a copy of the Katakey committee's interim report be furnished to the Advocate General.

The court relieved personal appearance of the Deputy Commissioner while the Superintendent of Police was directed to remain present on the next date of hearing on February 19.

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