Guwahati: An illegal rat hole mine that caught fire in Margherita area of Tinsukia district on Wednesday continues to burn as authorities have failed to douse the blaze.
Sources said that the fire broke out at the rat hole mine after large quantity of methane gas were seen leaking from the mine.
It is suspected that the methane gas leaked while illegal mining activities were underway deep inside the coal mine. The methane that is formed as a byproduct of the coal formation is highly inflammable and it is speculated that the scorching weather may have triggered the fire.
“We are trying to douse the fire by putting soil on the entrance of the mine. But there is high pressure of gas inside. We are hopeful that it will be doused soon,” an official said.
Sources said that rat-hole mining has been going in the area illegally for last several years. Besides causing revenue loss and environmental degradation, loss of lives of coal miners have been reported from these coal mines.
Speaking to Our India, Devojit Moran, an environmentalist said, “Why the environmental NGO, Social activist and students’ organisation are mum on this matter. The area has been burning for last two days but nobody is concerned. Huge biodiversity has been affected due to the rat-hole mining which is unbatted in the region,”.