Representational image (Photo: PTI)
Shillong, June 10: Meghalaya government has written to the Defence Ministry to send navy divers for the rescue operation of the missing miners inside a coal mine at Umpleng, East Jaintia Hills district.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, the government has requested the Defense Ministry to send the navy divers and a response from the Ministry is awaited.
In 2018 at Ksan East Jaintia Hills, divers from the navy were deployed to trace miners who went missing in a similar mine mishap at an illegal coal mine. The divers were able to retrieve two bodies, but eventually had to give up the operations to trace other miners after months of rescue operation.
Meanwhile, East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner, E Kharmalki said, that Fakrul Islam Barbhuiya along with three other relatives of the trapped miners today visited the site of the mishap.
The relatives were given access to be at the site after the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission issued a notice to the Meghalaya government asking why the relatives were being barred entry into the state and the accident site.
The relatives visited the site with escort provided by the East Khasi Hills district police. However, one of the relatives said that the police didn't provide escort in some of the vulnerable areas.
"We were provided escort from Malidor to Khliehriat, but after reaching there the police didn't provide any escort to the accident site which is quite far away and passes through a remote jungle terrain," one of the relatives said.
On the other hand the process to dewater the mine shaft is on and 3.96 lakh liters of water has been pumped out from the main shaft in which the miners went in and 4.86 lakh liter of water from an adjacent shaft, which is connected to the main shaft.
