Our focus is to save lives of workers trapped inside Uttarkashi tunnel: NDMA
Nov 21, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 21 : Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain on Tuesday said that our focus is to save the life of workers trapped inside the under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi.
Addressing a press conference with Anurag Jain, Secretary, of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, Syed Ata Hasnain said that different agencies of the state and Centre are working on the rescue operation.
"Different agencies like NDRF, ITBP, Army engineers, SDRF, fire and emergency services, BRO and other technical agencies of the Government of India are working there," Hasnain said, adding that when a tunnel rescue takes place, it is a very challenging effort.
The collapse occurred on November 12 during the construction of a tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot, trapping 41 labourers due to a muck fall in a 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara side of the tunnel.
The NDMA member said that three to four international experts have also come to the site to assist in the ongoing rescue operation.
"The government has made sure that wherever we have knowledge of experts, those experts have flown in and are available for advice. There is ample space inside where the workers are trapped. Survival rations, medicine and other essentials are being pushed through a compressor into the space where these workers are trapped," he added.
The NDMA official said, "Two teams of NDRF are doing rehearsals at the site to deal with any contingency and any situation. If in any case, they have to crawl and enter the tunnel or provide help to technical experts or to bring out the workers trapped in the tunnel."
Hasnain further told the presser that inside electricity is available and essential medicines
are pushed into the space where workers are trapped. "Even a few families of trapped workers have been moved at the rescue site and our prime focus is to save the lives of all workers," he said.
Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highway Anurag Jain said that the rescue operation is underway with multiple options and All best possible prepared and rescue works for workers is going on in Uttarkashi and we are sure that all workers will come out from the tunnel alive.
