SHILLONG, Aug 25: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said the Urak coal mine incident occurred in a very remote area inaccessible by vehicles and it is impossible for the district authorities to reach the spot.
At least one person was killed while another was critically injured after an alleged illegal coal mine in Urak (Riangdim) collapsed on them early August 19 morning. Urak is a hamlet close to Goreng under Shallang police station in West Khasi Hills district.
Asserting that a system is in place to punish people engaged in illegal activities, Sangma said the owner of the mine has been arrested and action will be taken against all those involved.
He trashed allegations of the opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) that the state government has been facilitating illegal coal mining and transportation and said the previous government had turned a blind eye to such activities. “It was only after the MDA government came in that the MMDR Act was imposed and the law was made more stringent to deter such activities,” Sangma said.
“Hundreds of cases have been filed, action has been taken against hundreds of people and a lot of people arrested. One just cannot point fingers,” he claimed.
