The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday asked the Meghalaya government to take strict action against the persons, including the owner of the mine, responsible for the coal mine-related accident that took place in East Jaintia Hills recently.
The NGT also asked the state government to take action against all other coal mine-related accidents.
Also read: Coal miners death: Crane’s defect leads to mishap in Meghalaya, says Minister
During the meeting of the NGT committee chaired by the chairman, Justice BD Agarwal at Sylvan House, office of the PCCF Lower Lachumiere in Shillong on Tuesday, the issue related to coal mine mishaps was discussed.
“The issue was raised during the sitting of the NGT committee and it directed the State government to take strict action against persons responsible for the mine-related accidents, including the owner of the mine,” sources said.
Also read: 6 coal mine workers killed in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills
Sources informed that the NGT Committee chairman along with other members visited some of the mining areas in East Jaiñtia Hills district.
“The chairman visited the site where six labourers from Assam had died in an abandoned coal mine recently,” sources said.
“The chairman also visited a number of places in East Jaiñtia Hills district, including one coke plant,” sources said.
A total of 6 workers in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district were killed in an accident when they were working in a coal mine.
The coal mine workers were residents of Assam and were digging a tunnel on January 21, 2021 evening in one of the coal mines near Rymbai village.
The six coal mine workers fell into a 150 feet deep after the machine, which they were using to dig the tunnel, broke apart.
The bodies were retrieved the next morning.