Fri Jan 24 13:32:47 UTC 2025: ## Assam’s Coal Mining Tragedy Spurs Crackdown on Illegal Operations
**GUWAHATI, Assam – January 24, 2025** – The recent death of four miners (including one Nepalese national) in a flooded rat-hole coal mine in Assam’s Dima Hasao district has brought renewed attention to the widespread problem of illegal coal mining in the state. While rescue efforts continue at the 90-meter deep mine, where nine miners were initially trapped, focus has shifted to similar illegal operations in the eastern part of Assam, bordering Arunachal Pradesh.
Following the Dima Hasao tragedy, authorities have begun sealing illegal mines in the Ledo-Margherita region of Tinsukia district, leading to an exodus of hundreds of migrant workers. According to the Tinsukia district authorities, a dozen mines have already been sealed. However, activists claim this is just the tip of the iceberg.
L. Ratan Singh, general secretary of the district unit of the International Human Rights Council, revealed that his organization has documented 20 illegal mining sites in the area, contrasting sharply with official reports. They have also identified the financial backers of these operations and urged authorities to arrest 19 individuals accused of illegal operations and coal theft, as highlighted in a 2019 report by Assam’s Geology and Mining Department. The group has written to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, demanding action against approximately 250 illegal mining sites. The lack of action prior to the Dima Hasao incident highlights the long-standing failure to address the problem. The tragedy has served as a catalyst for increased scrutiny and a renewed call for decisive action against the illegal mining operations threatening the lives of miners and the environment.
First Piper 