Quarry workers turned coal miners for extra buck

JOWAI: Twenty-year-old Salabas Dkhar usually worked in stone quarries but needed more money to attend church services in another village. This prompted him to take up the job at the illegal mine at Ksan, said Salabas’s mother, Rita Dkhar, on Wednesday.
Rita’s son is among the 15 miners trapped inside the mine whose chances of survival now look bleak. Like many families and relatives, Rita too is losing hope to see her son alive. Speaking to The Shillong Times, she said she only wanted the bodies of her son and those of her sister’s sons so that the families can perform the last rites.
“They went to work in the coal mine as they needed some money to attend church services at Tluh village which was over on December 13. In fact, they never worked in any coal mines. They used to work in a stone quarry,” she added.
Rita said the sons started working in the mine on December 10, and the incident happened on December 13. “They are supposed to come home on Friday evening,” she said as she broke down holding a quarter page portrait of her son Salabas.
“He was still young and helped the family economically,” she added in a choked voice.
East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Frederick M Dopth and SP Sylvester Nongtnger visited the bereaved families of the three trapped miners at Nongkhlieh Elaka on Monday.
The families were given interim relief of Rs 1 lakh each. Rita and Justina Dkhar, mother of Dimonme (20) and Melambok (22), who were also trapped inside the mine, received the money.
Rita came to know about the incident in the evening when she returned home after work.
“I was not allowed to go to the coal mine where my son got trapped. My friends and relatives didn’t allow me,” she said.
All three local youths who were trapped inside the coal mine were active members of the Catholic Church.
Justina, who has lost hope for her two sons, is a widow and mostly depends on her sons to run the family, also comprising her two minor daughters.