Congress' Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM, seeks SIT probe in Assam mining tragedy

Guwahati: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a SIT probe into the mining tragedy in Assam, which left four labourers in a coal quarry dead.

He also alleged that "illegal mining continues unchecked" due to "weak law enforcement and local complicity" in the northeastern state.

Nine workers were trapped inside a coal mine in Umrangsu in Dima Hasao district on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the quarry, and the bodies of four labourers have so far been recovered.

"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. Those responsible for this tragedy must be held accountable. Moreover, broader issues of safety, corruption, and environmental harm need to be addressed too," he said.

Gogoi urged the prime minister that the proposed secial investigation team (SIT) should not only look into the "illegal" operation of the mine and identify those responsible for this tragedy but also address the broader issues at play.

''This includes the failure to enforce the NGT's (National Green Tribunal) ban on rat-hole mining, the complicity of local authorities-including the district administration and district police - who have enabled these illegal activities to persist, despite repeated accidents and warnings," the Congress leader alleged.

The SIT should also examine safety standards and working conditions in these mines, which are "consistently ignored", leading to deadly incidents, he claimed.

''The investigation should expand its scope to identify and map out other illegal mining sites across Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, and Upper Assam, areas where these activities continue unabated," he alleged in the letter.

Additionally, the investigation must address the environmental impact of such "illegal mining operations and recommend necessary actions to curb the long-term damage to both human lives and the environment," Gogoi said.

''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 deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha hoped that the prime minister would consider this ''urgent request and take necessary steps for a fair and transparent investigation''.