TIRUNELVELI: The eight-day rescue operation carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire and Rescue Services personnel came to an end on Sunday night when they recovered the body of the sixth worker from the rubble in Adaimithipankulam stone quarry.
Collector V Vishnu thanked the personnel and officials of mines, police, and revenue departments for their efforts. “In just five hours after the boulders rolled down, the Indian Naval Air Station, Parundu deployed a helicopter. We received opinions of mining experts from Kudankulam and the Larsen and Toubro company. Within six hours of the accident on May 14, we rescued two workers alive. Though another worker was rescued alive, he died in the hospital,” Vishnu said.
The collector said the State government has formed six special teams to conduct inspections in 55 stone quarries in the district. “Each of these teams will be headed by a Deputy Collector-level officer. Each team comprises three officials from the mines department, two from the revenue department and another from the police department.
The mining officials will be deputed from other districts and the inspection will be conducted using the total station survey instrument on a war footing. We have suspended the lease agreement of the Adaimithipankulam stone quarry. A penalty will be imposed and legal action will be initiated on other quarries that violate norms in relation to depth and total volume (in cubic feet) of minerals permitted to be mined,” he said.
Speaking about the demands of the family members of the four deceased persons, Vishnu said the State government has provided them Rs 10 lakh and another Rs 5 lakh through the construction workers welfare board.