7 mining workers trapped in rising Yamuna, rescued

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 19

As many as seven persons, including a woman and a child, travelling on a tractor-trailer, were trapped as the water level in the Yamuna at the Rampurghat area of Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district increased around 5:30 pm today.

Being the confluence of the Giri and the Yamuna, the area witnessed a rise in the level of water following heavy rain since last night. Water had also been released from the Jatton barrage into the river. The trapped people, all of whom were migrants, were working at a stone crusher and engaged in the mining activity when the mishap occurred.

The local administration with the help of NGO activists, however, managed to rescue the people before the water level could wash away the tractor, said DSP Pramod Chauhan. He said fire tenders as well as policemen also helped to rescue the trapped people after nearly an hour.

Mining Officer Suresh Bhardwaj said he had warned the people engaged in mining activity to desist from undertaking any such activity in this season when the river was in spate.