One person was injured and several labourers were feared trapped after an explosion at a suspected illegal coal mine in a village in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, police said.
The incident took place in the Thangsku area, Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar added.
“Our team has confirmed that the incident took place this morning, but the number of people inside was not confirmed,” Kumar told PTI.
Kumar said one person sustained injuries and was first taken to a primary health centre before being referred to the state capital, Shillong, for advanced treatment, according to a PTI report.
Police have sought assistance from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to carry out rescue operations at the site. “The SDRF team is yet to arrive,” Kumar said.
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More on the explosion
The explosion is suspected to have occurred during coal mining activities at the site, which is believed to be operating illegally.
When asked about the legality of the mine, the police officer said, “Yes, it seems so.”
He added that the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined and an inquiry will be conducted.
In 2014, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on rat-hole coal mining and other unscientific mining practices in Meghalaya, citing environmental damage and serious safety concerns.
The tribunal also restricted the illegal transportation of coal extracted through such methods.
Rat-hole mining involves digging narrow tunnels, usually 3–4 feet high, through which workers enter to extract coal. These horizontal tunnels are commonly referred to as “rat-holes” as they are barely large enough for one person.
The Supreme Court later upheld the ban, allowing coal mining only under scientific and regulated procedures with environmental safeguards in place.
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