SHILLONG: The ongoing process of de-watering the mine shaft at Ksan where 14 coal miners were feared dead is turning futile as the water level has increased in the mine.
Informing this here, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Kyrmen Shylla admitted that the water level has gone up following the recent rains in the state.
Asked about the status of the state government approaching the SC to stop the rescue ops, Kyrmen said that they are yet to receive the letters from few of the victim’s family stating that they have no objection to call off the operations.
He said that once that happened they would take it further.
Asserting that the rescue operations is not giving any success, he, however, added that the rescue teams of State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were still stationed at the site.
It was also learnt that the high-powered machines to drain water out of the shaft were still in use in the site.
It may be mentioned that Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma had said that the State Government would appeal before the Supreme Court to call off the rescue operations taking place at Ksan in East Jaitia Hills where 16 coal miners were trapped in the mine since December 13, 2018.
So far, only two bodies of the miners have been retrieved while the chances for the survival of other miners is negligible.