Meghalaya government orders judicial inquiry into the illegal coal mine blast in East Jaintia Hills that killed 27 people.
The explosion took place last week in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village, triggering a multi-day rescue operation.
Rat-hole mining remains banned since 2014 by the National Green Tribunal, yet illegal operations continue in the state.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Monday that the state government will set up a judicial inquiry into last week's explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, which resulted in 27 deaths.
The blast occurred in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village. According to PTI, Sangma made the announcement through a post on X, stating: "The Government has decided to constitute a Judicial Inquiry Commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act to investigate the recent tragic mining incident in Mynsngat - Thangsko area in East Jaintia Hills."
The explosion prompted an extensive search and rescue effort involving the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, district administration, and local volunteers. The operation lasted several days until all bodies were recovered, PTI reported.
A senior officer from the Home Department told PTI that the judicial inquiry would look into the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine responsibility, and suggest steps to avoid similar events in the future.
Rat-hole mining has been banned in Meghalaya since 2014 by the National Green Tribunal owing to environmental risks. Despite the prohibition, reports of illegal coal mining persist across multiple districts in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
