The National Green Tribunal (NGT) registered a suo-moto case linked with the recent stone-quarry collapse at Hnahthial District of Mizoram, and directed concerned authorities concerned to appear before it on November 28.

In connection with the tragic incident, altogether seven officials, including the member secretary of Mizoram Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and the director of the state’s disaster management directorate, have been asked to appear at the tribunal’s Faridkot House Office based in Delhi.

According to the District Superintendent of Police (SP) – Vineet Kumar, the suo-moto case is also registered at the Hnahthial Police Station.

The death toll in the incident climbed to 11, after the recovery of one more body from the site.

As per the Hnahthial Deputy Commissioner (DC) R Lalremsanga, the body of a 25-year-old man, a resident of Lunglei district, was found under the debris during the search operation on Wednesday evening.

It is worth noting that altogether 12 people were feared trapped after a stone quarry collapsed in south Mizoram’s Hnahthial district, about 160 km from Aizawl, on Monday.

The incident occurred at around 3 PM when labourers of ABCI Infrastructure private limited were working in the quarry at Maudarh village, Hnahthial.

According to a report issued by the Hnahthial district administration, five of the deceased are from West Bengal, two each from Jharkhand and Assam, and one each from Tripura and Mizoram.

Bodies of the victims have been sent to their home states, the DC said.

Prime Minister – Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives.