SHILLONG, Jan 27: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said illegal mining activities cannot be stopped in totality and stray incidents such as the accidental death of six labourers in an East Jaintia Hills coal pit “does not mean the MDA government has failed” to curb illegal coal mining and transportation.
“This incident occurred far from the roadside and it is not even near the village. It takes one and a half hours to reach the place by vehicle, so it is not right to say the incident happened because of the failure of the government,” he said.
Tynsong felt the issue of illegal coal mining and transport has been blown out of proportion.
“Smuggling takes place despite the Border Security Force working hard on the Bangladesh border. That does not mean the BSF has failed,” he said.
“We are committed to checking illegal activities but we cannot stop them in totality as the police too are humans. I appeal to everyone to inform us whenever they come across illegal activities and we won’t disclose their names,” he said.
Tynsong claimed the state government has already issued a notification to protect the identities of such whistle-blowers.
The death of the six labourers in Rymbai Elaka of East Jaintia Hills happened more than two years after at least 16 miners died in a submerged rat-hole coal mine in the district’s Ksan area.
Shylla denies brother’s involvement
Cabinet Minister Kyrmen Shylla has denied reports that the coal mine where the six men from Assam died on January 21 belonged to his brother, Bison Shylla.
The Minister told The Shillong Times that he has asked the police to take action against anyone involved in illegal coal mining.
“My brother is not involved in this incident. I have asked his friends, local people and even my brother and I don’t think there is anything which indicates his involvement in this incident,” he said, pointing out that his brother belongs to Sutnga Elaka and not Rymbai Elaka where the mishap occurred.
“According to the local practice, a person from one elaka cannot mine in another,” he added.
Insisting that the owner of the mine should be caught, Shylla said the police would be given a free hand to probe the case.
“The law is equal for everyone, whether or not from my family,” he added.
Shylla said he was given to understand that the mine where the accident happened had no coal and it has not yet been ascertained that the incident was a case of illegal mining.