Meghalaya govt to appeal in Supreme Court on trapped miners

Two bodies of the 15 miners have been fished out by Indian Navy divers with the help of the underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle) from the flooded rat-hole mine at Khloo Ryngksan village strict.

“We have decided to appeal to the Supreme Court to call off the rescue operation,” Sangma told reporters.

“We are not getting any kind of fruitful results and we do still hope if we can retrieve the bodies so that at least the family members perform the last rites,” he said.

Moreover, Sangma said that following the mining accident the government had immediately set up committees in every district to look on the issue of illegal mining and to closely monitor activities which are going on.

Sangma said that many cases have been registered against persons involved in illegal coal mining and transportation and a lot of people have been arrested for the same.

He said that the government was looking at central laws which are more stringent to book people indulging in illegal coal mining activities.

People who were arrested for indulging in illegal mining were booked under the various provisions of the CrPC.

"But we are looking at national laws which are more stringent to book people indulging in illegal mining activities. However, this is not an easy task,” the Chief Minister said.