By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel from Guwahati, Assam were dispatched to Nongalbibra in South Garo Hills district on Wednesday to assist in rescuing 15 labourers who have been trapped inside a coal mine in Nongalbibra since Friday.
“The NDRF have sent two teams from their base in Guwahati to assist in the rescue operations of 15 labourers who are trapped inside a coal mine at Rongsa Awe area in Nongalbibra,” Deputy Chief Minister Bindo Mathew Lanong informed reporters after reviewing the situation with senior government officials on Wednesday.
According to Lanong, the NDRF personnel were expected to reach the incident site by Wednesday night.
The Deputy Chief Minister also informed that police have arrested three persons including the mine developer Gurdeep Singh and Kudon A Sangma, the Nokma of Rongsa Awe (who is also the owner of the coal mines).
He said that the third person who was arrested is the leader of the labourers who goes by the name ‘Captain’. The trio has been booked under Section 304 (causing death by negligence) of the IPC. Lanong, however, informed that another person who is identified as Vashith (helper of Gurdeep) has been absconding.
“The Government is in close coordination with the district administration. A Deputy Superintendent of Police and a Magistrate have been placed at the site to supervise the rescue operations,” Lanong informed.
Despite ten water pumps being used to pump out the water from the mine, rescuers have not been able to empty the mine since water has been continually gushing into the mine.
“This has also badly affected the rescue operations,” Lanong said.
Asked as to why it took time for the authorities to react to the incident, Lanong stated that the Nokma did not intimate the police about the mishap.
It is learnt that some local people had informed the police about the incident.
Around 30 labourers were engaged in the excavation inside the coal mine, when the incident occurred on Friday.
It was also reported that local residents had advised the mine developer (Gurdeep) against engaging his labourers in the mining work in view of the monsoon.
However, Gurdeep allegedly disregarded the warning and asked the labourers to continue the excavation. In the process, the labourers accidentally hit the wall of an abandoned mine that was filled with water.
The labourers were unable to cap the hole as water gushed in, submerging them inside the mine. Of the 30 labourers, 15 managed to escape while another 15 remained trapped inside.