Unscientific and unsafe rat-hole coal mining has been banned in Meghalaya since 2014. (Representative)
At least 13 people are trapped and feared dead due to flooding in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia hills district, the police said on Thursday.
The incident was reported to the district authorities on Thursday morning and rescue efforts are on, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvester Nongtynger said.
The National Green Tribunal has banned unscientific and unsafe rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya since 2014.
According to the SP, the labourers were engaged in the rat-hole coal mine near Lytein river around three days ago, and due to the overflowing of water they are all trapped inside.
Water is being pumped out and efforts are on to identify the people behind the illegal mining.
A case has been registered against unknown people for their involvement in illegal mining of coal.
Disaster management Minister Kyrmen Shylla, who is also an MLA from Khliehriat constituency, said, "We are waiting for a report from the district authorities in this regard."
This is not the first time that labourers engaged in illegal mining of coal have been trapped in a mine, a police officer said.
At least 15 miners were trapped in an illegal rat-hole coal mine near the Nangalbibra area in South Garo Hills in 2012. The bodies were never recovered, officials said.