Umrangso Mine Tragedy: All Eyes on Debolal Gorlosa, Wife, Associates

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, Debolal Gorlosa, his wife Kanika Hojai and their associates are allegedly responsible for the illegal coal mining at Umrangso and for that matter, the deaths of three workers out of those nine trapped following sudden inundation in the rat-hole mine.

Although Punish Nunisa has been arrested in the case, the anguish amongst people has yet to dissipate.  The infamous rat-hole mine was leased in the name of Nunisa.

Today, thousands gathered at Haflong seeking the removal of Debolal Gorlosa including BJP leaders and workers. The protestors also comprised villagers who are suffering from illegal mining activities and other proposed mining in Dima Hasao and near Karbi Anglong.

Quarry 19 and Illegal Mining

The rat-hole mine which saw the tragedy at 3 Kilo is near the Quarry number 19 which is a designated spot by the Assam Mining Development Corporation (AMDC). However, the tragedy site lies outside the ambit of the AMDC’s jurisdiction.

So, the AMDC Umrangso office does not have control over it. This contentious point is allegedly controlled by Debolal Gorlosa, Kanika Hojai along with an already controversial BJP leader Monjit Naiding. Naiding was allegedly involved in firing upon villagers of Nobdi Lonkukro in Dima Hasao in an attempt at land grabbing for J K Lakshmi Cement.

Speaking exclusively to Pratidin Time, ex-MLA of Haflong, Samarjit Haflongbar said, “The challans for the trucks are issued in the name of Kanika Hojai. Nunisa was like a caretaker only and the real profit has been accrued by Debolal and his associates. Nunisa’s arrest is an eyewash.”

Haflongbar further questioned how the illegal rat-hole mining has been occurring for long under the nose of Chief Minister and Dispur.

Notably, rat-hole mining was declared illegal by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2021. However, illegal rat-hole mining goes unabated in Assam, with this one adding to the series of tragedies that have claimed workers' lives for years. 

The rat-hole mine is not very far from a dam reservoir of NEEPCO's hydroelectric project at Umrangso over the Kopili River. This implies that continuation of the illegal rat-hole mining may cause severe environmental catastrophes in the future.

CM Hints At Illegal Mine, Later Sounds Different

Earlier today, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on his social media handles said “Prima facie, it appears to be an illegal mine”. However, he sounded with a changed tone later in the same day during his press address in Delhi. When questioned about the illegal coal mining activities in Dima Hasao and the circumstances under which mining permissions were granted, the Chief Minister highlighted the jurisdictional complexities. He explained that the region falls under the Sixth Schedule, similar to the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and Karbi Anglong, which limits the state government’s authority to intervene directly.

Nevertheless, the Assam government has instructed the police to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter. "We are awaiting the findings of the investigation to understand the background of these activities before reaching any conclusions," Sarma added.

The rescue operation remains a challenging task as authorities strive to locate the trapped miners and ensure their safe recovery while addressing the pressing concerns about illegal coal mining in the region.

Now the question remains, whether the big fishes will be caught or the entire matter of illegal mining activities will be thrown into cold storage with only one arrest.

Also Read: Rising Waters and Rat Holes: Challenges Deepen in Umrangso Rescue Efforts