Govt sends SOS to Centre for more help in rescue ops

SHILLONG: The state government on Monday requested the Centre to send more professional divers and the best equipment possible to help in rescue of the 13 miners trapped in a coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district for the past five days.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told reporters he had spoken to Union minister of state for Home Kiren Rijiju and the latter had assured him of all help.
A team of 72 from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), including three officers, along with another squad of about 20 SDRF personnel, are engaged in the operations since Friday, but there has been no headway.
Sangma said the government has requested the NDRF to bring in technically sound people with expertise in such operations. “We will engage whoever and whatever it takes, we are trying to save the lives of the people,” he said.
He said the high level of water in the mine shaft was the real hurdle. “Water is being pumped out continuously, but the inflow is so much that we are not able to drain it out enough for the divers to go in and search,” Sangma said.
On illegal mining of coal, he said it was difficult to keep tab on private individuals who operate illegally while asserting as far as the government is concerned there is no illegal coal mining in the state.
“I have been maintaining that there is no illegal mining and I still stick to the point that as far as the government is concerned, there is no question of illegal mining and we will not allow illegal mining,” he said.
He pointed out that the location of the area in which the miners are trapped is remote and it is next to impossible for police personnel to detect the illegal operations.
“It is impossible for the police and district administrator to keep watch over the entire stretch of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills. Whenever information or complaints come to us about illegal mining , action will be taken,” he said.