Three bodies recovered from Sirmaur limestone quarry after day-long NDRF rescue operation
Three bodies recovered from Sirmaur limestone quarry after day-long NDRF rescue operation
Nahan, Aug 20,
Three people feared buried under debris after a massive landslide at a limestone quarry near Tilordhar in the Kafota-Shillai area of Sirmaur district have been found dead, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) recovering all three bodies after a day-long rescue operation.
The victims have been identified as Anil Kumar (26), a resident of Badwas village in Shillai, and two Nepali nationals, Dhan Singh and Gajendra Bahadur. Anil Kumar was working as a truck driver at the quarry, while Dhan Singh and Gajendra Bahadur were employed as labourers.
Anil Kumar’s body was recovered in the morning from inside the truck, which was parked at the quarry when the hillside suddenly collapsed on Tuesday amid heavy rain. A massive quantity of soil, rocks and debris swept into the mining area, burying the vehicle and the two labourers.
The NDRF team continued the rescue operation throughout the day, using excavators and carefully removing layers of debris to reach the trapped workers. Dhan Singh’s body was recovered in the evening after several hours of painstaking operation. The search for the third victim continued thereafter, and Gajendra Bahadur’s body was finally recovered at around 6:40 pm.
With the recovery of all three bodies, the rescue operation has been brought to an end. The bodies were handed over for the necessary legal formalities.
The tragedy has raised serious questions over safety arrangements at the limestone quarry and the monitoring of mining operations, particularly during the monsoon when the hill slopes remain vulnerable to landslides.
A team of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) is scheduled to visit the site to assess the circumstances leading to the accident and examine safety measures at the mine.
Sirmaur District Mining Officer Sarit Chandra said limestone is classified as a major mineral and mining operations involving it are overseen by the Central Directorate General of Mines Safety. The DGMS team is expected to examine the mine and ascertain whether prescribed safety standards were being followed.
The quarry, identified as Bhim Goda Limestone Mines, is reportedly leased to Satya Tomar, a resident of Badripur in Paonta Sahib. The mining area is spread over around 8.5 hectares and falls under Kamrau tehsil of Paonta Sahib. The mine’s environmental clearance was reportedly extended recently for another five years.
The accident has left the families of the three victims devastated and has also triggered concern among local residents over safety standards at mining sites. The central question now is whether adequate precautions and slope-stability measures were in place at the quarry and whether the mining activity complied with all prescribed safety norms.
The incident occurred amid heavy monsoon activity in Sirmaur and other parts of Himachal Pradesh, where landslides and falling debris have repeatedly disrupted roads and public infrastructure.
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