Shillong, March 19: Chief Justice of High Court of Meghalaya Sanjib Banerjee has cautioned people against the dangers of illegal coal mining in parts of the state and warned of a catastrophe once an earthquake strikes.
He spoke about the ill effects of rat-hole mining during a function on legal service attended by eight Northeastern states, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Island, on March 18.
According to the Chief Justice, ‘now we have the menace of rat-hole mining with the people who are not aware are digging under their own houses without releasing that the mildest of a tremor would bring the houses down’.
Referring to mining area of Rymbai under Khliehriat, he said, “God forbid if there is an earthquake of very significant degree of magnitude”.
