13 miners trapped in Meghalaya coal pit; survival seems bleak

Shillong, December 15

Thirteen miners, who were trapped inside a coal pit filled with gallons of water in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district, were yet to be reached or rescued, district police chief said on Friday.

Officials had already said their chances of survival were bleak.

"We are yet to recover the dead bodies from the pit," Sylvester Nongtnger, the district police chief of East Jaintia Hills told IANS.

"The rescue operation is still on in full swing. The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have been pressed into service to carry out the rescue operation," he added.

The accident inside the coal pit on Thursday was of significance, especially because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the state from April 17, 2014. 

As per verbal information received late on Thursday, 13 miners including three locals of Lumthari area were trapped inside the pit, Nongtnger had said.

"It appeared the miners resumed mining coal three to four days ago. Our first step is to rescue those people trapped inside the pit. We are pumping the water out of the pit with the help of generators but the water level has not receded," the police official said.

Nongtnger had made it clear that the chances of survival of the miners were very bleak.

Meanwhile, one person was arrested for his alleged involvement in operating the illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, the police said on Saturday.

The accused was arrested from his home in Norman Village in the same district on Friday night, they said.

“We have arrested Krip Chulet of Norman village one of the accused persons involved in illegal mining at Ksan area of Lumthari village,” the Superintendent of Police (SP) of East Jaintia Hills district, Sylvester Nongtynger, said.

Krip was wanted by the police for causing death due to negligence and various sections of the Prevention of Damages to Public Property Act and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, the SP said.

Krip was involved in hiring labourers and overseeing the work and sending them down the 370-foot vertical shaft, a police officer said, adding that the mine was not registered and locals claimed that it had several owners.

James Sukhlain, the prime accused and suspected to be the owner of the illegal coal mine is on the run, the police officer said. His home in Langthari village was raided on Friday night. Agencies