Situation remains unchanged in Ksan area of East Jaintia Hills where at least 13 labourers were feared dead after being trapped inside a coal mine since December 13 even as the local police are on the lookout for two persons for carrying out the illegal mining activity in the area.
Rescue officials on Saturday said that water was being pumped out but there was no breakthrough so far. “The mine is approximately 370 feet deep and the divers of National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) could dive up to 30 feet,” said a senior official engaged in the rescue operation.
“We are trying to pump out the water from the mine. However the water level is still high and our divers cannot dive now,” he said the rescuers are yet to know anything about those trapped inside so far.
It may be mentioned here that a total of 13 labourers got trapped inside a coal mine near Ksan area of East Jaintia Hills. While a few of the labourers are from Shillong, majority of the 13 were either from Meghalaya’s Garo Hills and Assam.
Although the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned the coal mining in April, 2014 due to environmental ground, rat hole mining are being done illegally by some local mine and land owners.
In 2012, 12 labourers died in a coal mine in Meghalaya after the mine was flooded. The bodies of the 12 labourers were never found despite rescue operation being carried out for several days.