Sushmita Dev write to CM Assam & Meghalaya, appeals for urgent rescue of trapped coal mine workers

June 6: In a tragic incident on 30 May, around 5 workers from Assam and Tripura are feared to be trapped in a coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district. As per reports, a dynamite blast led to the flooding of a coal mine at Sutunga interior under Unpleng AD camp in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, trapping five labourers. It is in this connection that Sushmita Dev, President of All India Mahila Congress and National Spokesperson of Indian National Congress on 6 June wrote two letters to the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya wherein she appealed for immediate rescue the workers trapped in the coal mine.

In her letter, Sushmita Dev wrote, “Although search arid rescue operations are on as per report, many of them are yet to be recovered. I would like to specially mention the two labourers of Assam namely, Anwar Hussain of Najatpur village of Katigorah and Abdul Sukkur of Badarpur who are yet to be traced out.” She further went on to say that, since almost 5 days have elapsed from the day the tragic incident took place, so their lives might be in real danger.

“It is needless to mention here that the family members of the two labourers are suffering from serious mental agony about their whereabouts. They are anxiously waiting for the safe rescue of their wards by the administration. Considering the gravity of the situation, I would request you to kindly take necessary treasures for rescue of these above two labourers at the earliest possible,” added Ms Dev in her letter.

Apart from these two labourers from Cachar, the other 3 trapped workers in the coal mine are Abdul Karim (from Boko, Assam), Abdul Kalam (from Barpeta, Assam) and Shyamcharan Bebbarma (from Tripura). One Karimul Bari of Cachar district had tipped off the local police, saying one of his neighbours was among the dead lying buried 500 ft under the surface. Cachar SP Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant said that he immediately informed his East Jaintia Hills district counterpart about the incident. The rescue operation is on but it has been hampered by incessant rains.

Meanwhile, on 31 May, SP Cachar Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant alongwith OC Katigorah visited the house of  Anowarul H. Borbhuiya of village Nazatpur, PS- Katigorah, who is feared to be one of the victims of recent incident at Sutnga in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Family members were assured of all cooperation from Cachar Police.

SP @cacharpolice & OC Katigorah visited the house of Sh. Anowarul H. Borbhuiya of vill Nazatpur, PS- Katigorah, who is feared to be one of the victims of recent incident at Sutnga in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Family members were assured of all cooperation from @cacharpolice. pic.twitter.com/cXtjd3T4WU

— Cachar Police (@cacharpolice) May 31, 2021

This is the third major coal mine mishap in East Jaintia Hills district. Though the National Green Tribunal had in April 2014 banned the hazardous rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya, but coal mining continues to be rampant over there as per some activists. The last known incident of a coal mine mishap in the state took place in East Jaintia Hills in January this year in which six labourers from Assam had lost their lives.