Three labourers die in illegal coal mine incident in Surendranagar

It is the fourth such incident that occurred this year, and ten people are dead; the cops in Surendranagar district have reported a case against four, including a BJP panchayat member.

Tragic Incident in Surendranagar

Three labourers tragically lost their lives due to asphyxiation inside an illegal coal mine in Surendranagar district of Gujarat on Saturday.

This incident marks the fourth such tragedy reported this year, bringing the total number of fatalities to 10 from illegal mining activities in the district.

Victims Identified

The deceased were identified as Lakshman Dabhi (35), Khodabhai Makwana (32), and Viram Keraliya (35). They were working without helmets, masks, or any other safety equipment in a mine near Bhet village in Thangadh taluka.

Police Action and Accusations

Authorities have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against four individuals but have yet to make any arrests.

Among the accused are Kalpesh Parmar, a BJP taluka panchayat member, and Khimji Saradiya, whose wife is a district panchayat member of the BJP.

The first information report (FIR) indicated that the accused failed to provide essential safety gear to the labourers, leading to their deaths from inhaling toxic gas in the mine.

Recurring Fatal Incidents

Earlier incidents this year have highlighted the dangers of illegal coal mining in the district:

• February Incident: Three workers died after inhaling toxic gas following a blast triggered by gelatin sticks during illegal mining in Devpara village. The workers, all from Rajasthan, were digging a pit for an illegal coal mine.
• January Incident: Three labourers died after being buried due to unstable soil conditions.
• Last Month: One labourer died in a separate incident.

Government Response

Surendranagar District Collector K.C. Sampat acknowledged the recurring fatalities.

“We had launched a special movement against such mining operations, and as many as 2,100 such mines were closed and mining wells were completely buried.

But it seems some of them have been reopened,” Sampat told The Hindu. He emphasized that the local administration takes these incidents very seriously and is committed to preventing further occurrences.

Conclusion

The repeated loss of life due to illegal mining in Surendranagar underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of mining regulations and improved safety measures for workers.

The local administration’s efforts to close illegal mines must be bolstered to prevent such tragedies in the future.