Uttarakhand tunnel accident rescue operation: Nine days have passed since the incident in which 41 laborers were trapped in the tunnel under construction in Silkyara village of Uttarkashi that caved in, but not a single laborer has been taken out safely. Because of this, the resentment of the workers’ families towards the administration is increasing.
22 year old Pushkar Singh Airi is also among these stranded labourers. Pushkar’s mother Ganga Devi’s health has been deteriorating ever since she heard that her son was trapped in the tunnel accident. His elder brother Vikram is at the accident site.
‘Take my house and land and bring my son back’
The unhappy family has appealed to the administration officials to take the house and land if necessary but take the son back safely. According to a report in India Today, Pushkar’s uncle Mahendra Singh has told that only 2 months ago the nephew had come to his native village in Chhinigoth. He had told that he was working as a laborer in the project. His last conversation with his family was on Diwali, the day the accident occurred.
Workers trapped in the tunnel are becoming weak
The relatives of the workers have told news agency PTI that talks are being held with the trapped workers through pipes, but their voices are becoming weak as they are breaking down from within. They are becoming weak. Because of this the morale of the family is also breaking. Because of this, there is despair among these laborers and their families.
Vertical drilling will be done with a machine procured from Indore.
According to a BBC report, the auger machine brought from Delhi to evacuate these laborers has stopped working since Friday (November 17) evening. A new machine has been brought from Indore. Now instead of drilling horizontally i.e. from the front, holes are being drilled vertically i.e. from above so that the debris can be easily removed.
By Sunday, a 24 meter hole had been made in the debris spread over 70 meters inside the tunnel. However, this is not even half, hence it is being claimed that it may still take at least 4-5 days to evacuate the workers.
PMO advisor has visited the incident site
On Saturday (November 18), the seventh day of the accident, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Deputy Secretary Mangesh Ghildiyal and former advisor to the Prime Minister and Officer on Special Duty of Uttarakhand Government Bhaskar Khulbe visited the incident site. He announced that the rescue operation to rescue the workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel accident will now run on five fronts.
According to the report of news agency IANS, to safely rescue 41 laborers trapped inside the tunnel, separate tunnels are being made in the right and left parts of the tunnel so that the laborers can be evacuated from there. Drilling work for this has started.
Oxygen and food being given through pipes
Along with oxygen, nutritious food supplements and ORS are being sent through pipes to the workers trapped inside the tunnel. Meanwhile, Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Ruhela, rescue operation leader Colonel Deepak Patil and NHIDCL Director Anshu Manish Khalko are standing at the accident site.
According to a BBC report, the families of the workers trapped in the tunnel construction project have alleged that despite the presence of a large number of family members at the accident site, no arrangements have been made by the administration for their accommodation.
The tunnel suddenly caved in on the day of Diwali
Let us tell you that on 12th November (Sunday), the day of Diwali, the under construction tunnel caved in after a landslide, in which 41 laborers are trapped. Even after 9 days of the accident, the debris cannot be removed even with heavy machinery, due to which there is resentment among the family members. The tunnel is part of the ambitious Chardham project, a national infrastructure initiative to increase connectivity to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
read this also: Uttarkashi Tunnel Accident: CM Dhami met the families of the workers trapped in the tunnel, said- ‘Government is with you in this hour of trouble’
