Operations to rescue the remaining five miners trapped in a flooded coal quarry in Assam's Dima Hasao district are being hampered by suspected seepage of fresh water from underground streams which is slowing down the dewatering process, officials said on Thursday.
Even as several pumps remained pressed into action to dewater the mine, water continued to recede at a slow pace thus delaying rescue operations, they said.
“Water is being continuously pumped out. But it has been slow as it is now suspected that fresh water from some source underground keeps replenishing it,” they said.
The officials said NDRF, SDRF and army personnel remained engaged in the rescue operations, while navy divers were withdrawn.
The coal mine in the Umrangso area was flooded on January six when water gushed in suddenly, trapping nine workers inside. Four bodies have been recovered since then in the rescue operations.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Wednesday that 18 machines are being used for the dewatering process.
“Daily, about one foot of water is receding in the dewatering process. But we suspect that water from some underground stream is seeping in as the pace of water receding is slow and the water inside, which was black initially, is getting clearer now,” he said.
Officials had said that machines brought by the ONGC and Coal India are being used for the dewatering process, with the water level, which was initially at 100 feet, coming down gradually.
"The hope of survival of the remaining trapped miners appears to be waning but the rescue operations will continue," they said.
The chief minister had earlier claimed that the mine was abandoned 12 years ago and was under the Assam Mineral Development Corporation till three years ago.
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