Meghalaya miners: SC asks Meghalaya govt for rescue plans
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Meghalaya government to list the steps it plans to rescue miners trapped inside a mine here since December 13.
While hearing a petition requesting urgent rescue efforts, the court said “every second counts”.
"Tell us by tomorrow, because for people who are trapped, every second counts," Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri was quoted as directing Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta representing the Meghalaya government.
Nearly 86 people had been working to rescue the miners since December 14, the Meghalaya government told the court.
Efforts to rescue 15 miners trapped in a 320-foot deep illegal “rat-hole” have so far made little progress.
Personnel from NDRF, Navy and firefighters have since been trying to reach the hapless miners.
Earlier reports linked foul odour that divers experienced to the suspicion that the miners may have been dead. Later, NDRF said the foul smell could be from stagnant water in the mine.
