Odisha Fire Services personnel.

The men from Odisha Fire services started pumping out water from one of nearby coal mines at Khloo Ryngksan in East Jaiñtia Hills district while divers of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Navy went down to the main shaft in their bid to locate the 15 miners who have been trapped inside the coal mine since December 13 last year.

“The Indian Navy resumed the same action plan on Tuesday with assistance from the NRDF in the main shaft,” East Jaiñtia Hills district public relations officer, R. Susngi said.

Preparation by the Odisha fire services was on for pumping out water from the two shafts near the main shaft where the miners were trapped.

“Pumping out of water from one of the two nearby shafts is already in operation,” he said.

He informed that NDRF divers along with the Indian Navy diving team went down to the main shaft and jointly carried out the operation on a strategy that was planned.

“The NDRF is in assistance and standby with all their available resources to assist the Odisha fire services for installation of the high powered pumps. NDRF is offering its full corporation with all other agencies that visited the site for help.

The district administration of East Jaiñtia Hills is procuring the chasis of the crane and other logistics required to make operational at least three cranes in the old shafts near the main shaft.

It may be mentioned that the main shaft where the miners have been trapped is located near the Leteiñ river at Khloo Ryngksan.

There are also many old shafts in the area.

Earlier surveyors of the Coal India Limited were surveying the main shaft and other shafts in the area, wanting to know whether the water that entered inside the main coal mine was from the Leteiñ river or from other interconnected coal mines.