Regional Data Centre
DoNER Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh. File Image.

The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday slammed Union Minister (in charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh for not visiting the State even after two weeks of the coal mine pit tragedy in East Jaintia Hills district where 15 labourers remain trapped.

Also read: In a delayed attempt Coal India gears up to rescue trapped miners in Meghalaya

In a statement issued in Shillong on Thursday, the opposition’s chief whip and Congress legislator P T Sawkmie said that the DoNER Minister has failed to perform and look into the interest of the north-eastern region, especially the state of Meghalaya.

While alleging that the DoNER Minister has done nothing so far, the Congress MLA also said that this is the time when the State needs his help to ‘supervise and to take control of the situation in the coal mine along with the state machinery and the NDRF’.

Sawkmie also said that the role played by the DoNER Minister in this crisis period is really ‘unfortunate’.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has spoken to chief of K B L Pumps, Sanjay Kirloskar about helping in the rescue operation.

In a tweet, Tharoor wrote:

‘Have been speaking to Sanjay Kirloskar, chief of @KBLPumps, about helping in the crisis in Meghalaya. He has rushed a team to assess the actual needs:what kind of pumps would best work in local conditions. Meanwhile his pumps used for the #KeralaFloods cld be diverted if suitable.’