New Delhi | With the rescue operation for 15 miners trapped inside a 370-foot illegal coal mine in Lumthari area of Meghalaya entered the 16th day today, Congress MP from Shillong has accused the Union government for delay in the rescue operation of the miners trapped inside the flooded coal mine since December 13.
Speaking to media Vincent H Pala said, “Earlier the Central government did not take seriously in sending the pumps, I hope with the new pumps coming they will be able to pump water, it will take minimum 2-3 days then we will be able to retrieve the bodies.” When asked on the possibility of the survival of the trapped miner, Pala said, “I’m very sure most people have died, I came to know from local people that there is no chance of people there, those who survive, they run away since the mining was illegal.”
Congress’ Shillong MP Vincent H Pala on #MeghalayaMiners: Earlier the Central govt did not take seriously in sending the pumps, I hope with the new pumps coming they will be able to pump water, it will take minimum 2-3 days then we will be able to retrieve the bodies. https://t.co/QUnJYRhi4I
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2018
Earlier the Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a tweet had criticised PM Modi for the delay in the rescue work. 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.”
Meanwhile, a team of Odisha fire service has left to assist the NDRF in the rescue operation. According to the official, the team is carrying at least 20 high-power pumps, capable of flushing out 1,600-litre water per minute.
On December 13, around 20 miners entered the 370-foot mine at about 8 am. After reaching the bottom of the pit, the miners entered the horizontal manholes, often termed as ‘rat-holes’. According to villagers, one of the diggers could have accidentally punctured the walls of the cave and the river water gushed in immediately, trapping the miners inside. Luckily only five persons managed to climb out of the mine. Operations to rescue the trapped miners entered its 16th day on December 28 as over a 100 personnel from the NDRF and the SDRF are at the site, alongside the state police.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday contradicted media reports which quoted it as saying the trapped minors were suspected dead on the basis of the “foul odour” the force’s divers had smelt when they had gone inside the mine.
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