23 days on, still no trace of trapped Meghalaya miners

  • | Sunday | 6th January, 2019

SHILLONG: The multi-agency rescue mission to save 15 miners trapped inside an illegal coal pit in Lumthari village of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district entered the 23rd day on Saturday but there is still no trace of anyone so far.The Kirloskar Brothers Limited started operating two high-power pumps from Saturday to drain out water from the main shaft of the coal pit, which has been heavily flooded by water from contiguous abandoned mines and a nearby river.It was reported that the water level in the old shaft receded by 1.5 feet as the Odisha Fire Services personnel pumped out almost 10 lakh litres of water over the last couple of days so that divers of the Indian Navy can descend and trace the miners. "At the same time, Coal India Limited is also pumping out water from the mine by using submersible pumps," an official said.He added that the water level inside the coal mine has to be substantially reduced before actual search operations can be carried out as a rat-hole mine has several lateral channels in its depths, which are difficult to navigate.Illegal mining of coal has been continuing in Meghalaya despite an interim ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal on unscientific mining four years ago - a fact that was recently admitted by chief minister Conrad K Sangma.Two women RTI activists, who were on a mission to unravel the ongoing illegal mining of coal, were severely assaulted by suspected coal mafia in the East Jaintia Hills in November last year.

SHILLONG: The multi-agency rescue mission to save 15 miners trapped inside an illegal coal pit in Lumthari village of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district entered the 23rd day on Saturday but there is still no trace of anyone so far.The Kirloskar Brothers Limited started operating two high-power pumps from Saturday to drain out water from the main shaft of the coal pit, which has been heavily flooded by water from contiguous abandoned mines and a nearby river.It was reported that the water level in the old shaft receded by 1.5 feet as the Odisha Fire Services personnel pumped out almost 10 lakh litres of water over the last couple of days so that divers of the Indian Navy can descend and trace the miners."At the same time, Coal India Limited is also pumping out water from the mine by using submersible pumps," an official said.He added that the water level inside the coal mine has to be substantially reduced before actual search operations can be carried out as a rat-hole mine has several lateral channels in its depths, which are difficult to navigate.Illegal mining of coal has been continuing in Meghalaya despite an interim ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal on unscientific mining four years ago - a fact that was recently admitted by chief minister Conrad K Sangma.Two women RTI activists, who were on a mission to unravel the ongoing illegal mining of coal, were severely assaulted by suspected coal mafia in the East Jaintia Hills in November last year.

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