Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday stated that he had written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting a SIT investigation into the mining incident in Assam that resulted in the deaths of numerous workers in a coal mine.
He also claimed that “illegal mining persists unabated” because of “ineffective law enforcement and local complicity” in the northeastern region.
On Monday, nine workers became trapped in a coal mine located in Umrangsu, Dima Hasao district, when a sudden influx of water inundated the pit. So far, the remains of four workers have been retrieved.
“As of today, rescue operations have entered their sixth day, but the fate of coal miners trapped in the illegal coal mine at Dima Hasao remains uncertain. Illegal mining continues unchecked in Assam, fuelled by weak law enforcement and local complicity,” said the Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.
“I have written to the prime minister urging an urgent SIT probe to investigate this tragedy,” he said.
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Gogoi urged the prime minister that the suggested special investigation team (SIT) must not only examine the “unlawful” functioning of the mine and pinpoint those accountable for this disaster but also tackle the wider issues involved.
He claimed that the SIT must also investigate the safety standards and working conditions in these mines, which are “repeatedly overlooked,” resulting in fatal incidents.
“The inquiry needs to broaden its focus to locate and outline additional illegal mining locations throughout Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and Upper Assam, regions where these practices persist freely,” he claimed in the letter.
Furthermore, the inquiry needs to consider the ecological consequences of these “illegal mining operations and suggest essential measures to mitigate the enduring harm to both human beings and the ecosystem,” Gogoi stated.
‘The people of Assam, and indeed all of India, deserve to know the truth and justice done. This must be a turning point in our collective efforts to end illegal mining and protect vulnerable workers from exploitation and harm’, he said.
The families of the victims deserve justice, and “we must ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future”, he added.
The Congress’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha expressed hope that the prime minister would acknowledge this ‘urgent request and initiate appropriate action for a just and transparent inquiry’.
