Talcher: A rescue operation for three trapped coal miners here in Angul district was affected as heavy rain lashed the area Thursday.
The rescue operation for the second day started in the morning with the clearing of debris, large boulders and construction of a makeshift road into the mine. However, the heavy rain washed away the makeshift road while a landslide hampered the rescue operation.
The rescue operation started in the presence of JP Singh, MCL’s director (technical), KR Basudevan, director (personnel), Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan and other officials.
A 35-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined the rescue operation and tried to identify the place where the bodies might have been buried but failed in their attempt. It is suspected that the bodies might have remained buried under 200-300 ft.
The coal miners were working on earthmoving machines in Bharatpur mine of MCL when the mishap took place Tuesday night.
The worker whose body was recovered Wednesday was identified as Pupun Biswal (driver) of SICAL, a contractual firm, MCL spokesperson said.
Search operation is on to locate three other workers of SICAL trapped under the debris. The missing workers are Rashmi Ranjan Behera (supervisor), Ramesh Dash (security guard) and Raj Kishore Mohapatra (pump khalasi), he said.
It has been decided to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, along with full compensation as per Employees Compensation Act, gratuity, provident fund, benefits under Coal Mines Pension Scheme and employment in contractual establishment to a family member, he added.
Nine workers who were injured in the accident were undergoing treatment at the company’s hospital in Talcher. An inquiry committee, under the general manager (safety and rescue), has started an investigation to ascertain the cause of the strata failure, he said.
The opencast mine has been closed following the dump slide and it will take over a week to resume operations.
Raising the issue in the Assembly Thursday, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra sought to know as to why the state government was silent on the tragedy and not taking any action.
Stating that no amount of compensation to the affected people can fill the loss, Mishra said the police should take action suo motu and arrest those responsible for the mishap.
Activists of BJP staged a demonstration in Talcher Thursday demanding adequate compensation to the families of the deceased and action against those responsible for the mishap.
Locals had staged a protest and road blockade in the area Wednesday alleging negligence and lack of safety measures led to the mishap.
PNN