Newmai News Network SHILLONG | December 14 With 13 miners being trapped in a flooded coal mine in East Jaintia Hills (EJH) district, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma has assured that strict action will be taken against illegal coal mining in the state in the backdrop of the NGT ban on such activities. “We are aware of the illegal activities going on and this again is something that is not correct at all and appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time against the people who are involved in the illegal mining as this is not acceptable,” Conrad said on Friday. The incident took place at Ksan village under Saipung police station on Thursday morning when 13 persons including 3 locals were engaged for extracting coal from a mine located near the Lyteiñ River. The statement of the Chief Minister also came in the backdrop of the state government having categorically denied that there is illegal mining of coal in the state. Conrad, while terming the incident as unfortunate, however said what is more important right now is to save the lives of labourers who are trapped in the coal mine. “Efforts are on (to rescue them) and I am in touch with the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police on a continuous basis and I hope and pray we will be able to rescue them,” he added. Conrad further informed that the team of Disaster Response Force as well as the district administration and police are doing all they can to save the lives of these labourers. While three of them are from Lumthari village in the district, the others are from West Garo Hills and Assam. Earlier on Thursday, SP S Nongtynnger informed that the coal mine in question appeared to be an old one on which work was resumed in the last three or four days. He also said that the labourers had been trapped after water overflowed into the mine and that due to the over flowing of water, the dead bodies are still trapped inside. He however said that there is no visible sign of the bodies. “The water is being pumped up with the help of a generator and is in progress,” he said.