The Opposition Voice of the People’s Party president and Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Tuesday questioned the official death toll in the recent coal mine tragedy and alleged a systematic attempt to underplay the scale of the disaster.
Raising doubts over the figures released by the state government, Basaiawmoit demanded clarity on the exact number of miners present at the site when the mines collapsed, asserting that local accounts sharply contradict the official version.
Talking to Media persons outside the Assembly, the VPP President said, “We want to know exactly how many miners are there because those recovered dead bodies that the government have shown officially were not limited to the numbers that the government have given. We are trying to get the information from the local people and we are trying to enquire like normally how many miners work in one coal mines. So, we were told that normally 60 to 70 persons that is minimum. So, if two coal mines were blasted, were collapsed, So do you think as responsible leader or public representative we will be satisfied with the figures given by the government?”
He further sought to know whether the government had verified the number of miners from those arrested in connection with the incident. “We want to know whether to government has got these statistics from those people whom they have arrested, wheather they have enquired how many miners were there on that mine where the unfortunate incident took place,” Nongkrem legislator said.
In a sharp swipe at the functioning of the Assembly, Basaiawmoit said the opposition had been repeatedly denied adequate space to raise people’s issues, “Let me be honest with you, as it’s is the people they have seen how the government is conducting, how the house is conducting, so people also they understand that the opposition parties will not be given enough opportunity to raise issues concerning the people. We will try, we have tried, we have done as per the rules and procedures of conducting the business of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, we don’t want to go much Beyond because people have already made up their minds. They have seen, what this government has been doing, they have seen how we were prevented every time we want to speak in the house. So there is time for everything.”
Questioning the credibility of the judicial inquiry commission set up by the state government, he cited past precedents. Referring to the commission probing the killing of former Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, he said, “going by the records of the outcomes of these commission being constituted by the Government from time to time , latest the commission constituted to find out the reasons that led to the killing of the former Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) General Secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, where is the outcome? Where have we reached? So going by the records, going by the history, we feel that we cannot expect much from this commission.”
Basaiawmoit warned that attempts to suppress the truth would ultimately fail. “There is time for everything, there are time when the government can brush all the problems under the wraps, but when nature decies to unveil the truth, no one will be able to brush the issue under the carpet. The time when the government will deny is over. Now every body, whole nation came to know that illegal extraction of coal were taking place in Meghalaya.”
Recalling past tragedies in the coal belt, he said repeated disasters had exposed systemic failure. “This is not the first unfortunate incidents where precious lives have been claimed due to some mishap in the coal belt area. We should not forget once coal mines are flooded with water, that also was a case.”
He accused sections of the government of feigning ignorance over illegal coal transportation despite a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal 12 years ago. “To our surprise, when the government, when some of the ministers expressed that they were shocked that there is an illegal extraction of coal in Meghalaya, they were shocked to learn those trucks were carrying coal. How long will you deny, the government may deny, but the people know it, Hills and rivers know it because they were affected by these illegal extraction of coal during this past 12 years.”
Alleging a nexus, he said, “When they are themselves involved in the Nexus, do you think all these illegal transaction and illegal extraction, or illegal Coal business will be able to take place without the knowledge of those who are in the government? If the government feel that we have nothing to do with illegal Coal business, then why not they straight away take action against the head of all these districts where the illegal Coal has to pass, the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police of these four five district. Transfer is too lenient action after so many lives have been claimed.”
He also accused the government of ignoring red flags raised by retired Justice BP Katekey, who had headed a one-man committee on illegal coal mining and transportation. “the government keep on denying for so long, this is not the first incident, but every time we raised the issue the government is denying. This is the time when the Government can no longer deny. The government did not only deny the statement given by Retd Justice BP katekey, but government has also denied our statement also.”
Citing field visits by party legislators, he added, “Infact we have personally gone into those areas, one of our MLA from Mawlai infact contacted the SP to go with him to the site where illegal extraction of mines is taking place. Not only illegal extraction but forcefully taking possession of the land that doesn’t belongs to them.”
Terming the decision to call off rescue operations “very unfortunate”, Basaiawmoit said, “I think it is very unfortunate that the rescue operations has been called off so fast, unless the government knows exactly how many miners are there inside the coal mine, government should not resort to the cancellation or call off the rescue operations. According to the information that we received from the locals they are hundred percent sure that the numbers the figures given by the government is too small.”
