Rescuers in Assam are racing to save eight workers trapped in a flooded coal mine in Dima Hasao district. Meanwhile, a two-month-old baby waits at home, hoping for his father’s safe return.
Lijan Magar, 27, spoke to his wife, Junu Pradhan, just before entering the 'rat hole' mine, unaware it would be his last contact with her. Since then, she has heard nothing.
'Rat hole' mining is an illegal and hazardous practice involving narrow tunnels dug to extract coal, posing significant risks to workers. Tragically, nine miners were trapped when the Kalamati coal mine flooded last Monday. Rescuers found one body two days ago, leaving eight still unaccounted for.
The rescue operation, now in its fifth day, involves Armed Forces divers and disaster response teams battling murky water in the 90-meter-deep mine. The water level, stuck at 30 meters, hampers visibility and progress.
A high-capacity pump from Maharashtra, capable of draining 500 gallons per minute, is expected to be operational soon, but time is running out.
Also Read: On day 4, deep divers and heavy pumps join Assam mine rescue
NDTV visited the shanty where Junu Pradhan anxiously awaits news with her baby. "He called me before going down. Now, I don’t know what will happen to us," she said, tearfully.
Junu’s father, Krishna Pradhan, a former coal miner, has been keeping vigil, worried for his daughter and grandson. "I’ve worked in these mines, but they’ve dug too deep. The government must help us," he said, criticizing officials for not supporting affected families.
While ministers and senior officials have visited the accident site, families of the trapped miners feel neglected, left to endure their grief without any assistance or even basic consolation.
Rescue teams continue their efforts, but with over 100 hours passed since the miners were last seen, the situation grows more desperate by the hour.
Also Read: Assam mining tragedy: Labour leader held, rescue ongoing
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