Sonar system fails to detect trapped miners

SHILLONG: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Saturday used sonar system and underwater camera to detect 13 miners, who have been trapped inside a coal pit illed with water In MEGHALAYA’S East Jaintia Hills district since Thursday morning.

However, the system failed to locate any of the trapped miners in the main well of the 370-feet coal pit because of poor visibility.

As the water level at the pit did not recede much despite continuous pumping, THE NDRF oficials suggested to the district administration of East Jaintia Hills to call in the Oil Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to deploy “submersible water pumps” to reduce the water level.

Meghalaya Police arrested Jrin alias Krip Chulet, the owner of the coal mine from Narwan village on Friday night.

The accident inside the coal pit on Thursday morning at Lumthari area was of SIGNIICANCE, Especially AFTER THE National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on “rat-hole” coal mining in the state from April 17, 2014.

“We are putting all efforts to evacuate the trapped miners. Our diving team dived twice in the main well of the coal pit and we also used sonar system and underwater camera to detect the 13 miners but couldn’t locate them due to very poor visibility... the oxygen level is also bit low,” Assistant Commandant NDRF, Santosh Kumar Singh, said.

More than 100 rescuers including 72 members from the NDRF, 23 members from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) AND ive members of THE FIRE and Emergency Service were deployed to rescue the miners.