An MLA from Assam has sought the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the issue of labourers trapped in a flooded coal mine at Krem Ule near Umpleng in East Jaintia Hills since May 30.
Khalil Uddin Mazumder, the MLA of Katigorah constituency in Cachar district in his letter to Sarma said that five of the six labourers trapped are now feared dead and one of them, Anowarul Islam Barbhuyan, is from Katigorah constituency.
“It has already been seven days since the mine accident and yet there is no trace of the missing labourers as informed by the Meghalaya administration. Also the district administration of East Jaintia Hills is not allowing family members or any representative of the families to visit the accident site. The family members at home are passing their days in severe despair,” Mazumder said.
He also requested the Assam chief minister to take up with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and “take immediate steps to expedite the search process.”
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has registered a case filed by Yeahyea Hussain, the neighbour of one of the miners trapped at the Krem Ule mine.
According to Hussain, the families of the miners have also been denied access to visit the incident spot.
The MHRC reminded the State government of Article 21 of the Constitution that states “No person shall be deprived of his/her life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law”.
MHRC also directed Chief Secretary M S Rao to submit a detailed report on the matter within ten days.
In another related development, Fakrul Islam Barbhuyan, the brother of the missing miner Anowarul Islam Barbhuyan has filed an FIR at Katogorah police station in connection with the Krem Ule mine accident.
He named the agent of the mine Nizam Uddin from Bartal village in Karimganj district, coal mine owner Shining Langstang from Sutnga village in East Jaintia Hills, Rightful Shyrmang and some unidentified persons as being responsible for the tragedy.
Fakrul Islam alleged that Nizam Uddin forcefully took his brother for the coal mining work in East Jaintia Hills.
He also alleged that during the fateful day on May 30, it was the negligence by Nizam Uddin and the persons named in the FIR that caused his brother to get trapped inside the coal mine.
