NEW DELHI: The ongoing case of the multi-agency operation to search for the remaining miners trapped inside a 370-foot-deep coal mine in Meghalaya will be heard on Monday since the Solicitor General was not present during the hearing on Friday.
The top court, which is monitoring the search operation, had asked the state government to continue it.
The multi-agency search and rescue operation had received a shot in the arm with the Army joining in the efforts later, but hope dimmed since no body barring one could be retrieved after the best of continuous efforts.
Although two decomposed bodies of the miners were found over 200 feet away from the bottom of the main shaft, only one could be pulled out and was handed over to the family members in Assam.
Efforts are underway to retrieve the remains of the second miner, but the operation is taking longer as there are many obstacles like narrow tunnels and the turbidity of water.
On December 13, water flooded a network of tunnels in the illegal rat-hole coal mine at Ksan in East Jaintia Hills, trapping 15 men and prompting the multiple-agency rescue attempt.
The owner of the mine, Krip Chullet, was arrested from his home on December 14. His accomplices are on the run till date.
The Coal India Limited in its status report submitted to the court said there was no significant change in water level despite the discharge of 1609.20 lakh litres of water pumped for 1192 hours.
The report also narrated the difficulties faced by the CIL while installing the pumps.
