SHILLONG, June 25: Home Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday said the state government has not yet received the report of the magisterial enquiry into the May 30 coal mine tragedy at Krem Ule, Umpleng in East Jaintia Hills.
“The Home (Political) department is dealing with it. I was made aware the report is yet to be submitted,” he said.
At least five labourers – four from Assam and one from Tripura – were trapped inside the illegal coal mine following a dynamite blast that caused flooding.
Confirming that one more body was retrieved on Friday, Rymbui said the deceased hailed from Assam’s Karimganj district and all formalities were completed to send the body to his village.
Of the three bodies retrieved so far, only this could be identified. One more is likely to be identified as some family members arrived to identify.
The Minister said the priority of the government is to save the lives of the people and if not that, the retrieval of the bodies. He said he has not received any report from the Deputy Commissioner on the expenditure incurred so far in the rescue operations.
He said despite constraints, the state is fully equipped to deal with the problem of illegal coal mining and transportation.
“Sometimes, people take advantage and for the last one year and a half, our police force has been engaged in managing the Covid situation,” he added.
