Two coal miners, believed to be from Meghalaya, have died in Assam's Tinsukia district due to suspected gas poisoning. This incident comes nearly a month after a rat-hole mining tragedy in the same area claimed three lives, including two from Meghalaya.

The NGT issued notices to the Environment Ministry, the Assam government, the Assam Forest Department, and two others to file counter-affidavits within four weeks from May 29.

The district administration of East Khasi Hills on Friday issued restraining order against illegal mining and quarrying in the hill slopes and removal of sand from river-beds by any person, company or authority without obtaining mining license/quarry permit and other clearance certificates from the competent authority.

Meghalaya High Court appointed National Green Tribunal (NGT) judge, justice B P Katakey, who is on a fact finding mission to expose illegal rat hole coal mining in the Garo Hills, has said that the huge number of illegal coke factories, which mushroomed in the West Khasi Hills, bordering South and East Garo Hills, and East Khasi Hills districts, was made possible due to the availability of coal that was being mined illegally in the region for a long time.

He said the state have been engaged in this form of mining for last 200 years and livelihood is based around that and unless and until alternate forms of livelihood don’t come up people will keep going back to those activities.