MP Gaurav Gogoi demands SIT probe into Dima Hasao coal mine tragedy

Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi has called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the tragic coal mine collapse in Dima Hasao, Assam. 

The incident, which occurred on January 6, 2025, has left at least ten miners trapped after water inundated the illegal rat-hole mine, causing its collapse. 

Rescue efforts have now entered their fifth day, yet there is no clarity on the miners' fate.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gogoi highlighted the persistent problem of illegal rat-hole mining in Assam. 

Despite a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 and reinforced in 2015, these dangerous operations continue to flourish. 

Also Read: Third body recovered at Umrangso coal mine; rescue efforts for missing six miners ongoing

He pointed to findings from a 2021 judicial commission led by Justice Brojendra Prasad Katakey, which revealed the thriving illegal mining activities in Assam's Digboi forest division.

 These findings, along with Lok Sabha data shared in 2019, underline a grim reality—illegal mining persists due to weak enforcement, corruption, and systemic failures at multiple levels.

The MP noted that illegal coal mining is widespread in areas such as Umrangso and Karbi Anglong, with local operators allegedly running these activities under the radar of authorities. He accused district administrations and law enforcement of negligence, suggesting their inaction has contributed to repeated accidents and loss of life.

Gogoi emphasized the dire need for an SIT to conduct a thorough investigation into the current tragedy and its underlying causes. 

He urged the probe to not only hold those responsible for the incident accountable but also to investigate the failure to enforce the NGT ban, the complicity of local authorities, and the unsafe conditions in these mines. 

He called for a mapping of illegal mining sites across Upper Assam, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao, along with measures to address the environmental damage caused by these operations.

The MP expressed deep concern for the workers' safety and the environmental toll of unchecked mining, stating that the people of Assam deserve justice and accountability.