Police have registered a case of incitement under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 54 of the Indian Penal Code against four persons in connection with the unfortunate mishap in the Surendranagar district where three labourers died of asphyxiation while working at an illegal coal pit.
Out of the four accused namely Jashabhai Keraliya, Janak Aniyaria, Khimjibhai Saradia, and Kalpesh Parmar, the last two are affiliated with the ruling party BJP. Khimji Sardia, a resident of Raisangpar village in Muli taluka of Surendranagar is the husband of Sajanben Saradia, one of the Surendranagar district panchayat members elected on a BJP ticket. Kalpesh Parmar, a resident of Kampala village is the chairman of the executive committee of Muli taluka panchayat ruled by BJP.
Laxman Dabhi (35), Viram Keraliya (35) and Khodabhai Makwana (32) lost their lives while working at an illegal coal pit at Bhet village near Raisangpar. The deceased died of suffocation as they were hit by poisonous gas trapped inside the pit while extracting low-grade coal. No helmet, mask, or safety gear was provided to the deceased.
The administration’s claim to have closed down 2100 illegal coal pits, only underlines how large-scale the illegal activity was left unchecked in the first place. The poor work to dig coal pits 50 to 60 feet deep and die trying to make a living for Rs.500 to 700 a day for providing low-cost fuel to the factories in Ahmedabad and elsewhere in Gujarat.
The opposition has accused corrupt officials, in direct connivance with the leaders of the ruling party, the BJP, of letting the illegal activity run by accepting Rs. 150,000 per pit per month. There have been recurring incidents of deaths of labourers working at the illegal sites in Surendranagar district. Even in February, three workers died after inhaling toxic gas in an illegal mining operation in the district. In January, too, three labourers died buried inside the pit.
The Gujarat Congress Chief Shaktisinh Gohil made a scathing attack on the government. He addressed the Chief Minister and invoked the religious preaching of Dada Bhagwan he is known to adhere saying that he fails to understand how can the Chief Minister close his eyes to the rampant corruption going on in letting the illegal coal mining on such a scale.
Shaktisinh Gohil went on to say that the Chief Minister does not have the right to occupy his seat under the circumstances. The Gujarat Congress Chief also demanded to form a SIT under a sitting High Court Judge to investigate the scam thoroughly.
Also Read: Toxic Gas Leak Kills Three in Illegal Coal Mine Blast in Surendranagar
