Rescue Operation for 13 Labourers in Meghalaya is on, CM says "Time Running Out"

Shillong: Despite several attempts by the NDRF and SDRF team along with the other agencies have failed to trace the whereabouts of the 13 labourers from Assam who were trapped inside the coal mine at Ksan near Lytein River under Saipung police station in East Jaintia Hills after the eighth day of the horrifying incident.

The incident reportedly took place on December 13, 2018.

Out of the 13 Assam labourers, seven of them were reported to be the residents of New Bhaitbari and Haripur under Phulbari Police Station of West Garo Hills (WGH) District in Meghalaya.

Sources also informed that the team of NDRF and SDRF are on to their rescue operation, although failed to navigate the trapped people who were inside the rat hole.

It may also be mentioned that the NDRF and SDRF team have been using water pumps to flush out the water from the flooded mine. The water in the 370-feet-deep coal mine initially increased after the levels in the nearby Lytein river went up.

The incident had so far left the anxious family members of the labourers in shock and tensed.

The labourers identified as Umar Ali (36), Harpat Ali (32), Abdul Kalam (32), Mojid Sheikh (38), Riajul Islam (20) were from Haripur area.

The other two labourers identified as Mominul Islam (40) and Mizanur Rehman (35) were from New Bhaitbari area.

Also, there are reports surfacing in the media that after the eighth day of the horrifying incident, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad Sangma stated the incident to be a major challenge for the NDRF and SDRF personnel's to rescue the buried labourers as the time is running out.

It may further be mentioned that the Chief Minister in a conversation to a national news agency had informed that the teams need more 200 high power pumps to flush out the water from the flooded mine.

On the other hand, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of East Jaintia Hills District, S Nongtynger also claimed that the work on pumping out water is on and they are hopeful that the water level will recede soon.

Furthermore, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned unscientific and unsafe rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya since April 2014, however, such works in the region are still being carried out by several coal mafias in the region.

Recently, CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing and her aide Amita Sangma were brutally attacked by some alleged coal mafias in Meghalaya.

Both the leader and her aide were recently declared safe and sound by the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).