https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=2025_Assam_mine_incident2025 Assam mine incident - Revision history2026-08-03T21:24:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=2025_Assam_mine_incident&diff=483351&oldid=prevBhargava1920 at 16:30, 19 April 20262026-04-19T16:30:22Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Mining incident in Assam, India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}<br />
<br />
{{Infobox incident<br />
| image = <br />
| caption = Rescue workers near the flooded rat-hole mine<br />
| mapframe = yes<br />
| mapframe-caption = The town of Umrangso near which the incident occurred<br />
|coordinates ={{coord|25.5062| 92.7308|display=i}}<br />
| date = {{start date|2025|01|06}}<br />
| Location = [[Umrangso]], Assam<br />
| cause = Flooding due to Kopili river<br />
| reported deaths = 9<br />
| missing = <br />
| arrests = 2<br />
}}<br />
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On January 6, 2025, a group of miners became trapped in an illegal coal mine in the [[Dima Hasao district|Dima Hasao]] district of [[Assam]], India. They became trapped when water gushed in from a nearby unused mine.<br />
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== Background ==<br />
Illegal mining is a significant issue in the state of Assam. The practice involves digging small tunnels, often by hand, to extract coal. These tunnels are dangerous and prone to collapse, which has resulted in many fatalities. The [[National Green Tribunal]] (NGT) banned [[rat-hole mining]] in 2014 due to its 'hazardous nature and environmental impact'. Despite this, illegal mining continues in several areas, including Umrangso and [[Ledo, Assam|Ledo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chakraborty |first=Avik |date=2025-01-12 |title=Assam: Illegal rat-hole mining continues in Ledo despite NGT ban |url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-illegal-rat-hole-mining-continues-in-ledo-despite-ngt-ban.html |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=NorthEast Now |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
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== Incident ==<br />
The miners, at least 9 in number, became trapped in an illegal rat-hole mine on 6 January. This occurred after water gushed into the mine from an unused mine nearby.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=At least nine miners are trapped in a coal mine in India's northeastern Assam state |url=https://apnews.com/article/coal-mine-assam-india-trapped-87320ac112a2ba1725b349e83f42f6a6 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> The mine is said to be 300-foot deep.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-09 |title=Assam mine tragedy: Rescue ops continue for 4th day, efforts on to dewater shaft |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/assam/story/assam-mine-tragedy-rescue-operations-continue-efforts-underway-dewater-shaft-2662202-2025-01-09 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Rescue operations ==<br />
[[File:Rescue workers near an illegal coal mine in Umrangso, Assam.webp|thumb|Rescue workers standing near the illegal rat-hole mine]]<br />
The [[National Disaster Response Force]] (NDRF), [[State Disaster Response Force (Assam)|State Disaster Response Force]] (SDRF), Indian Army, and the Navy have been deployed to the site. 100 rescuers in total are said to be at the site.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-08 |title=Indian army divers retrieve the body of one of at least 9 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine |url=https://apnews.com/article/coal-miners-trapped-india-assam-197ff8b4cf35728b10fc11e8b6b80b70 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> As of 16 January, the bodies of four workers are said to have been recovered from the site.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2025-01-15 |title=Dewatering in ill-fated Assam coal mine continues, no sign of trapped miners |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam/dewatering-in-ill-fated-assam-coal-mine-continues-no-sign-of-trapped-miners/article69101101.ece |access-date=2025-01-16 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> A team from the [[Geological Survey of India]] (GSI) has found that there were 140 million litres of water in the underground system of which the mine was a part, and that 40 million litres have been successfully removed.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-17 |title=It could take 60 days to drain water from mine where 9 men perished in Assam |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/10-days-after-mining-disaster-assam-cabinet-approves-judicial-inquiry-constitutes-sit-9783125/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><br />
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The mine has been suspected to be connected to the [[Kopili River]] that flows in [[Meghalaya]].<ref name=":1" /><br />
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The rescue operation involves dewatering the flooded mine, but progress has been reported to be slow. Limited visibility and the instability of the mine have further impacted progress.<ref name=":0" /> A district official said that dewatering the mine and three abandoned ones nearby simultaneously with 10 pumps has failed to lower the water level, which has been reduced to about 12 metres from the 30 metres present on the day of the incident.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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After 42 days, the bodies of the remaining 5 miners were recovered after the Army and the NDRF completed the dewatering process.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Bikash |date=2025-02-19 |title=5 more bodies recovered from Umrangso coal mine after 42 days; Assam govt takes action |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/5-more-bodies-recovered-from-umrangso-coal-mine-after-42-days-assam-govt-takes-action/articleshow/118394243.cms |access-date=2025-03-22 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref><br />
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== Investigation and reactions ==<br />
The mine has been determined to be an illegal operation, being previously leased by the Assam Mineral Development Corporation (AMDC) but has been abandoned 12 years ago. Police have arrested two individuals in connection with the incident. The Chief Minister of Assam, [[Himanta Biswa Sarma]], said that the mine "prima facie appears to be an illegal one".<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-12 |title=Assam mine deaths: As more bodies turn up, a political war of words |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/assam-mine-deaths-police-complaint-draws-bjp-link-to-illegal-mining-party-leader-calls-it-political-attack-9773793/ |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><br />
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[[Gaurav Gogoi]], a Lok Sabha MP for Assam and a [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] leader on 11 January wrote to the Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] demanding the constitution of an [[Special Investigation Team (India)|SIT]] to probe the incident. The Congress also has spoken about the alleged involvement of the Chief Executive member of [[Dima Hasao Autonomous Council]], Debolal Gorsola and his wife in illegal mining activities.<ref name=":2" /><br />
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On 16 January, the Assam cabinet approved a judicial inquiry and decided the constitute the SIT. The judicial inquiry will be led by Anima Hazarika, a retired judge of the [[Gauhati High Court]].<ref name=":3" /> Along with this, due to a police investigation in the Dima Hasao district, 220 other illegal mines have also been found.<ref name=":3" /><br />
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On 28 January, it was reported that the Gauhati High Court had taken ''[[Sua sponte|suo moto cognizance]]'' of the case, along with directing the state government to submit an [[affidavit]] of the case by February 7. This was done due to the role played by the government in allowing illegal mines to keep operating despite the previous order from the NGT to stop them.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-01-28 |title=Assam: Gauhati HC takes suo moto cognizance of Umrangso coal mine incident |url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam-gauhati-hc-takes-suo-moto-cognizance-of-umrangso-coal-mine-incident.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=NorthEast Now |language=en-US}}</ref><br />
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== Relief ==<br />
The Assam government announced an [[Ex gratia|''ex-gratia'']] payment of ₹10 lakh (1 million) for the families of each victim involved in the incident. The amount has been partly drawn from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Assam cabinet approves compensation, judicial, SIT |url=https://hindustantimes.com/india-news/assam-cabinet-approves-compensation-judicial-sit-probe-into-coal-mine-flooding-101737022012908.html |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[Mining scams in India]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}{{Disasters in India in 2025}}<br />
[[Category:January 2025 in India]]<br />
[[Category:2020s in Assam]]<br />
[[Category:Illegal mining in India]]</div>Bhargava1920