Aizawl: The search for the last missing person in the recent stone quarry collapse is still on even as nearly 10 days have passed since the incident occurred in south Mizoram’s Hnahthial district, an official said.
The victim identified as Jahidur Islam (27) from Assam’s Barpeta had gone missing with 11 others after the stone quarry, where they were working, caved in at Maudhar village near Hnahthial town on November 14, Hnahthial sub-deputy commissioner Lalramdintluanga said.
Islam could not be located till now despite a vigorous search and rescue operation, he said.
He said that the victim’s cap and sweater were found recently near the earth excavator he operated on at the time of the incident.
The bodies of other 11 victims have been recovered from the debris last week.
The official said that three members of Islam’s family arrived at the site on Tuesday and they were informed about the situation.
The search operation taken up by ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd is still going on. While the Border Security Force (BSF) has left the site, both the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force( SDRF) are also still engaged in the search operation, he said.
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Altogether, 12 workers of ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd were confirmed to have been trapped after the stone quarry collapsed on November 14.
Hnahthial Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Kumar said thirteen people were working when a massive landslide occurred at the stone quarry and only one labourer managed to escape unhurt.
Of the 11 deceased, five were from West Bengal, two each from Jharkhand and neighbouring Assam and one each from Tripura and Mizoram, according to officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured persons.
On November 16, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed seven concerned authorities in Mizoram, including ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd, which currently owned the stone quarry on a lease, to appear before the tribunal on November 28.
The state police also filed a criminal case against ABCI at Hnahthial police station a day after the incident.
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