Teams from the Army, Navy, Assam Rifles, NDRF, and SDRF are racing against time to rescue 11 miners trapped since Monday in a flooded “rat-hole” coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The mine, located in the 3 Kilo area of Umrangso, was inundated after an underground water channel breach, leaving rescuers grappling with nearly 100 feet of water inside.
Rescuers initially entered the waterlogged mine and discovered personal belongings like shoes and sandals but found no signs of the miners. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma noted that the workers might be in horizontal rat holes, emphasizing dewatering as the only viable option. Specialist pumps from ONGC are currently in use, with Coal India set to join the operations with their equipment on Wednesday.
Defence PRO Lt Col M Rawat confirmed that divers, medical teams, and support staff from the Army and Assam Rifles are actively participating in the mission. The trapped miners include individuals from Nepal, Bengal, and various parts of Assam, with nine of them identified so far.
The mine operates as a “rat-hole” mine, a hazardous method where workers descend through narrow vertical shafts 200-400 feet deep and dig horizontal tunnels to extract coal. These mines are notorious for their unsafe working conditions and high risk of accidents, often exacerbated by their unregulated and illegal nature.
The incident has cast a spotlight on the mine’s legality. CM Sarma stated, “Prima facie, it appears to be an illegal mine,” and confirmed that an FIR has been lodged at Umrangso police station. A man named Punish Nunisa has been arrested in connection with the case.
The Opposition has urged the state government to expedite the rescue operations and investigate the mine’s operations. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi called for mandatory safety audits of all mines, with strict penalties for operators who fail to protect workers. Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi also demanded a probe into the legitimacy of mining in Dima Hasao.
Responding to criticisms, CM Sarma acknowledged administrative limitations, stating, “Dima Hasao is an autonomous council. We are investigating the circumstances under which mining permission was granted.”
As rescue efforts intensify, the trapped miners’ families and the community are anxiously waiting for news. The incident underscores the pressing need for stricter mining regulations and safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
