SHILLONG: The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Meghalaya State Council held at Quinton Road, Shillong in a press communiqué expressed sorrow and anguish over the “death of coal miners who were trapped inside the coalmine in East Jaintia Hills District.”
In the statement, the AITUC further stated that illegal mining is being carried out all over the state despite the ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal.
The union expressed concern illegal coal mining that has endangered human life and affected the environment in an adverse manner.
“Yet the government of Meghalaya irrespective of which party run the government maintained a close eye over the issue,” the union said in the statement.
The union has urged the State Government to establish Labour court to address various grievances of the labourers and in the meantime, request the government to pay compensation to the kins of the victims and same may be extended to the labourers of other district who had lost their lives during the process of coal digging.
It may be mentioned that rescue efforts are on to save the trapped miners and no bodies were recovered so far.