The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the owner of a coal mine in Meghalaya where 15 people have been trapped for nearly two months saying he was responsible for the illegal mining due to which the mishap took place. It directed that the owner of the mine be made party in the pending petition seeking urgent steps for rescuing the miners trapped in the rat-hole mine since December 13 last year.
The illegal mine is located at Ksan in East Jaintia Hills district, about 3.7 km deep inside a forest and can be accessed after crossing three streams. It was flooded when water from the nearby Letein river gushed into it.
The top court has directed the Meghalaya and Coal India Ltd. to furnish details of other illegal mines operating in the area. It posted the matter for further hearing on February 22.
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