By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 10: In the aftermath of the dynamite blast at an illegal coal mine in the Mynsngat-Thangsko area of East Jaintia Hills that left 30 miners dead, Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Tuesday demanded the immediate suspension of several deputy commissioners (DCs).
Reacting to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s announcement of a judicial probe into the incident, Basaiawmoit said if the state government maintains that it has no role in the extraction and transportation of coal, then it must take firm administrative actions by suspending the DCs of East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.
He took a swipe at the Chief Minister through an Instagram post, stating that illegal coal transportation in multiple districts cannot take place without tacit support or serious failure of oversight by district authorities.
Earlier, Basaiawmoit had demanded that Sangma step down and accept moral responsibility for the repeated coal mine tragedies in the state. He had stated that the continued loss of lives in coal mine-related incidents reflects a grave governance failure.
Questioning Sangma’s continuation in office, the VPP chief had asked how the Chief Minister could continue to lead the state when fatal incidents in coal mines keep occurring.
North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum also demanded the immediate suspension of the DC as well as the superintendent of police of East Jaintia Hills, holding them responsible for continued illegal coal mining.
Nongrum said the tragedy had shaken the entire state and exposed the persistent problem of illegal coal mining and transportation yet again. According to him, such activities cannot take place without the knowledge of the district administration and the police.
Welcoming the state government’s decision to institute an inquiry, the MLA said administrative accountability must come first. “Before moving ahead with any inquiry, the DC and the SP of East Jaintia Hills should be immediately suspended. They are the officers directly responsible and cannot claim ignorance,” Nongrum said.
On the Chief Minister’s remarks that the site of the illegal mine is located nearly 25 km away from the district headquarters, Nongrum asked how district officials and the police failed to reach the area. “How far is the site from the DC’s office and the nearest police station? If Justice (retd) B.P. Katakey could reach the location, why couldn’t the district administration and the police?” he asked.
The MLA raised concerns over the logistics of illegal mining, asking how coal was being extracted and transported on a large scale without roads or official knowledge. He said the movement of coal through thousands of trucks clearly indicated long-standing illegal operations.
Stressing that statements alone will not restore public trust, Nongrum said the government must demonstrate seriousness through actions. He called for the arrest and punishment of all those involved in illegal coal mining and transportation.
He further questioned the silence of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and the traditional authorities of Elaka Sutnga, saying that their lack of response raised serious questions about oversight and responsibility.
He maintained that only firm and visible actions against all those responsible would convince the public that the government is committed to ending illegal coal mining and preventing such tragedies in the future.
