New Delhi: Jaswant Singh Gill, who shot to fame for rescuing 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989, visited the illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills which has been in the limelight since last week as a dozen labourers have been trapped in the flooded quarry. Gill has suggested that the state government seek help from Coal India Ltd in the rescue operation.

After arriving at Lumthari village in East Jaintia Hills district, Gill seemed concerned after seeing the water level in the mine and upon being briefed about the practice of rat-hole mining that is quite prevalent in the state.

The mining expert was there to take stock of the situation and asked the deputy commissioner of the district to take help from Coal India, P Sylvester Nongtynger, SP of East Jaintia Hills, said.

Miners got trapped in the quarry on December 13 after water from Lytein river, which is close by, came gushing into the pit. The district administration has since been engaged in a rescue operation to trace them but with no success so far.