SHILLONG: The Opposition Congress has slammed the MDA Government over the ongoing rescue operations at Ksan in East Jaintia Hills where 16 coal miners mostly from West Garoi Hills were trapped and feared dead
Congress MLA from Rajabala, Dr Azad Zaman on Tuesday said that it had been more than four months since the incident happened and initially the state government did not show any type of seriousness in the rescue operations or else things would have been different today.
He stated that central agencies were involved in rescue operation only after AICC president, Rahul Gandhi tweeted twitted on the matter.
The statement came from Zaman as the state government’s is likely make an appeal before the Supreme Court to discontinue the rescue operations as it is not yielding any positive results.
“The state government had not given enough importance and they may be miners but everybody’s life is precious,” he added.
The accident occurred on December 13 last year when water flooded the rat-hole mine trapping 16 miners. Bodies of two were retrieved subsequently. Another body was also detected, but it could not be brought out.
Pointing out that with so many months gone by there is no chance of retrieving the bodies and even if they are able to do so it would be just skeletons, Zaman said that it was now up to the Supreme Court to continue or call off the rescue operation.
He also suggested that Instead of spending lot of money on the rescue operators, the amount should be utilised for the welfare of the bereaved families of the miners.
Initially he had demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation but now the family members of the miners from Garo Hills who he interacted with, are asking for Rs 20 Lakh.