With rescue operations suspended for the second day in a row, there seems to be no hope in sight for the 15 labourers trapped in a 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in Ksan area of Lumthari village in Meghalaya.
Congress chief Rahul taunted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “15 miners have been struggling for air in a flooded coal mine for two weeks.
“Meanwhile, PM struts about on Bogibeel Bridge posing for cameras.
“His government refuses to organise high pressure pumps for the rescue.
“PM please save the miners.”
Rescue efforts so far have failed to extricate any of the labourers, who’ve been trapped for more than 13 days in the rat hole. Meanwhile, the water level in the flooded mine in East Jaintia Hills district has not receded, a senior official said. The fate of the workers now hangs in balance with authorities yet to touch base with them.
On December 13, nearly 20 miners entered the quarry owned by Krip Chullet. After reaching the bottom of the pit, they entered horizontal manholes, often termed as ‘rat-holes’, as each just about fits one person. The miners were trapped in the illegal pit after water from nearby Lytein River gushed into the mine. Five persons were able to climb out of the flooded mine, leaving the others behind.
