SHILLONG: Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla said the expenditure for the Ksan rescue operations has increased which was around Rs 2 crore one or two months back.
Speaking to a section of the press on Monday, the minister admitted that the increasing expenditure has affected the state’s finances at a time when the state is confronted with financial crisis.
Adding to the woes of the increasing expenditure is the rising water level triggered by heavy downpour, despite routine efforts to dewater the mine at Ksan, East Jaintia Hills.
The minister informed that 10 pumps are used for dewatering. Kirloskar Brother Limited has installed 6 pumps, besides 2 each pumps from Coal India Limited and KSB.
The teams from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are still present at the Ksan site.
On the other hand, he said the family members of the victims are also supporting the move to call off the rescue operations as expressed in their letters.
However, Shylla informed that the letters were received only from families in Jaintia Hills and Assam while the DC is waiting to get the letter from the families of the victims from Garo Hills.
The state Advocate General, Amit Kumar will submit the letters of families expressing their wish to call off the rescue operation considering its futility.
The families want adequate compensation since the rescue operations have been futile till date.
Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills received letters of nine families including two from Lumthari, East Jaintia Hills, and the remaining from Assam.
Though the seven affected families of Rajabala, West Garo Hills, also wanted adequate compensation instead of carrying on with the rescue operations as conveyed by them to the local MLA Azad Zaman, they are yet to submit any letters.
When contacted, Zaman said the families have agreed to call off the operations provided they get adequate compensation for the welfare of the family instead of spending money on the rescue operations.
The minister informed that the state government provided interim relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the affected families and the Centre had also released Rs 2 lakh each.
The Ksan mine tragedy occurred on December 13 last year and has drawn national and international attention.
