Congress' Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM Modi, urges SIT probe into mine collapse in Assam's Dima Hasao

Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 12 (ANI): Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the mine collapse in Assam's Dima Hasao district.
As of now, the bodies of four workers have been recovered, while five others remain trapped underground in the flooded rat-hole mine.
"I write to you with deep concern and a heavy heart regarding the tragic incident that occurred on January 6, 2025, at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Dima Hasao district, Assam, where at least 10 coal mine workers are believed to be trapped after water inundated the mine, causing a collapse and flooding the narrow tunnels. As of now, the ongoing rescue operations have entered the fifth consecutive day, but the fate of these miners remains uncertain," the Congress MP wrote in his letter.
He pointed out that illegal mining in the region has been ongoing for years, with numerous similar accidents occurring in the past.
"Illegal rat-hole mining continues to thrive in Assam, despite being banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014 and the subsequent retention of the ban in 2015. The report submitted in 2021 by the one-man judicial commission, led by Justice Brojendra Prasad Katakey, which was investigating allegations of illegal mining in Assam's Digboi forest division, has found that rat-hole mining is flourishing unchecked in the region," the letter reads.
"The commission's findings indicate that these illegal mining activities are thriving due to a combination of insufficient law enforcement, corruption, and lack of accountability. The Union government too has acknowledged the continued existence of rat-hole mining in the Reserve Forests (RFs) and Proposed Reserve Forests (PRFs) of the Digboi Division, as revealed by data shared in the Lok Sabha in 2019," the letter added.
Gogoi stated that the illegal mining in the region has caused multiple fatal accidents, exacerbated by the complicity of local authorities.
He further noted negligence will continue to jeopardise workers' lives and harm the environment.
"If left unchecked, this ongoing negligence will continue to jeopardise workers' lives and further harm the environment," he said in the letter.
Citing the severity of the situation, Gogoi urged the Prime Minister to take immediate action and constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate this incident thoroughly.
"The SIT should not only look into the illegal operation of the mine and identify those responsible for this tragedy, but it must also address the broader issues at play," he added.
"This includes the failure to enforce the NGT's ban on rat-hole mining, the complicity of local authorities, including the district administration and district police have enabled these illegal activities to persist despite repeated accidents and warnings," Gogoi added.
"The SIT should also examine safety standards and working conditions in these mines, which are consistently ignored, leading to deadly incidents. Furthermore, 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. 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," the letter of Congress' MP reads.
Meanwhile, Coal India will deploy a pump to assist in the rescue efforts of the trapped miner in the 3 Kilo Umrangso area in Dima Hasao district. (ANI)