Sun Jan 19 12:16:23 UTC 2025: ## Assam Cracks Down on Illegal Rat-Hole Coal Mines After Deadly Flooding
**GUWAHATI, ASSAM –** A major crackdown on illegal rat-hole coal mines is underway in Assam following a devastating incident earlier this month. On January 6th, a 90-meter-deep rat-hole mine in Dima Hasao district flooded, trapping nine miners. While four bodies have been recovered, five remain missing.
Authorities have launched a drive to seal all rat-hole mines in the area and seize mining equipment. This follows the discovery of approximately 220 such mines in the Umrangso area, many operating despite bans by the National Green Tribunal and Supreme Court. Eleven arrests have been made in connection with the January 6th incident. Hope for rescuing the remaining five miners is dwindling, with officials stating the flooded mine, potentially linked to three abandoned ones, still contains over 100 million liters of water. Water removal efforts, ongoing since January 7th, could take up to 60 days, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The crackdown extends beyond Dima Hasao. In Tinsukia district, 13 illegal rat-hole mines were sealed in a joint operation with Coal India Limited, resulting in four arrests and the seizure of equipment. One of the illegal operations was discovered to be running from an abandoned Coal India office. The Assam government is committed to eliminating the dangerous practice of rat-hole mining.
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