India, Feb. 11 -- The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has initiated suo motu proceedings after a deadly explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills that killed 30 miners, according to media reports.

Several workers trapped underground after a dynamite blast in Mynsyngat, according to a February 6 report.

The report also flagged potential violations of environmental laws, given that hazardous rat-hole mining had been prohibited years ago.

Justice Prakash Shrivastava, chairperson of the NGT, along with Expert Member A. Senthil Vel, noted that the incident suggested breaches of prior tribunal directives and possible violations of critical environmental legislation, including the Air (Prevention and Control o...