Tragedy in the Hills: Illegal Mining Blast Prompts Judicial Inquiry

In a significant development, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced the formation of a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the fatal explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills. The blast claimed 27 lives and occurred last week in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village.

The disaster has spurred a massive search and rescue operation that engaged the State Disaster Response Force, police, district administration, and local volunteers. The recovery effort, which stretched over several days, successfully retrieved all the victims' bodies.

A senior officer from the Home Department emphasized that the judicial inquiry aims to inspect the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine accountability, and propose measures to thwart such tragedies in the future. Despite the National Green Tribunal's 2014 ban on rat-hole mining due to environmental issues, illegal mining activities persist.