Summary:
SHILLONG: The search and rescue operation for the 15 miners, who are trapped in a flooded ‘rat-hole’ coal mine at Khloo Ryngksan in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, resumed on Monday. None of the missing miners could be traced till late on Monday evening.The Navy divers entered the coal pit on Monday but they could not travel deep down to conduct the search operation. Emission of gases from inside the mine is also a major hurdle that the rescue team has to contend with. Their progress was hindered as the mine shaft was flooded, with the entire passageway, comprising lateral tunnels, not being mapped posing an additional problem.“Divers of the Indian Navy have entered the main shaft of the coal mine to survey the bottom of the sheet using an underwater , remotely-operated vehicle,” spokesperson of the rescue operations R Susgni said. Even though high-powered pumps have been set up to drain out the water, rescuers are trying to identify the sources from which water is seeping into the mine shaft.Meanwhile, the Mahila Congress on Monday held a protest in the Congress Bhavan in Shillong , blaming the Conrad-Sangma led government for the delay in rescuing the miners..