Rescue efforts under way to recover several labourers still trapped under the rubble. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Mineral Development Department has a formed a committee to ascertain the cause of the incident and to fix the responsibilities.
The mines chief inspector would head the investigation team tasked to identify the people responsible for the incident and also make recommendations to avoid such incidents in future. Strict action will be taken against those found responsible for the improper safety measures, the department said in a statement.
Buner district coordination officer has also launched an inquiry into the incident and demanded that the mining department should also conduct an inquiry. Buner deputy commissioner has called the rescue operation after no signs of life were detected in the operation that continued for two days. The local administration has imposed an emergency in the mining area and the sites would remain closed until further orders.
The provincial government has announced Rs0.5 million for families of the deceased and Rs0.1 million for the injured labourers.
A rescue team of Pakistan Army equipped with latest gadgets arrived at the site of the incident last night and assisted the ongoing Rescue 1122 workers in the operation.
The Buner district administration said that the injured were shifted to Dagger DHQ Hospital, Swat Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
Locals speaking to media said more bodies could have been recovered if the rescue operation had not been called off. They said as many as 30 labouerers had been trapped under the rubble.
The incident occurred around mid-day, according to witnesses. Dozens of workers were mining marble when a heavy rock tumbled down, trapping the workers underneath.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 24th, 2020.
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