Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: New pipeline makes communication with trapped workers easier
Uttarkashi (PTI): Tuesday morning brought some relief for family members of the 41 workers trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel for nine days here as the newly inserted six-inch pipeline made communicating with them easier.
The family members said they could hear the workers clearly through the new pipeline, which will also be used for sending larger quantities inside the tunnel.
An alternative 6-inch pipeline was pushed in through the rubble of the collapsed tunnel on Monday.
Till Monday, a four-inch existing tube was being used to supply oxygen and items like dry fruits and medicines into the section of the tunnel beyond the rubble of the collapsed portion.
Sunita Hembrum, whose brother-in-law Pradeep Kisku, is among the trapped labourers, said he is doing fine.
"I talked to him this morning. Oranges have been sent to them through the new food pipe. Efforts are also being made to send khichdi to them. He is fine," Hembrum, who has come from Bihar's Banka, told PTI.
She said it was easier to communicate through the new food pipe.
"Earlier, we had to shout to make ourselves audible but today his voice was clear," she added.
Jaimal Singh Negi, whose brother Gabbar Singh is also trapped inside the tunnel, said communication has definitely become better with the insertion of the new pipe but the real challenge of rescuing the workers remains.
"The new food supply pipeline has also made it easier to supply better food in larger quantities to them, which is a good thing. Otherwise the situation remains the same," said Negi, who spoke to his brother.
The workers are talking to each other and keeping each other's morale high, he said.
However, a worker's father, Chaudhary, claimed he was not being allowed to talk to his son Manjit.
"It has been nine days since I came here. I was allowed to talk to Manjit only once, soon after I came here. But now I am not being allowed to go inside and talk to him," Chaudhary complained.
During his visit to Silkyara on Sunday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had asked officials to ensure that the family members of the trapped workers do not face any inconvenience.
Rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing since portions of the tunnel collapsed following a landslide early on November 12, leaving the workers trapped behind a huge mound of debris.
The Silkyara tunnel, about 30 km from the district headquarters of Uttarkashi and a seven-hour drive from the Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is part of the ambitious Char Dham all-weather road project of the central government.
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In address at Oxford, Mamata says her governance model doesn't allow discrimination
Kolkata/London (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her governance model does not allow discrimination and she prioritises the welfare of all sections of society.
Addressing a gathering at Kellogg College at the University of Oxford, she stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive.
"If I die, before my death, I want to see unity. Unity is our strength, and division leads to our fall. This was Swami Vivekananda's belief. Keeping unity is a difficult task, but dividing people takes only a moment. Do you think the world can sustain such divisive ideology?" she questioned.
"When I am in the chair, I cannot divide society. I have to look after the weaker sections and the poor. We have to work hard for them. At the same time, we must work for all religions, castes, and creeds together, move forward with them, and help them," she said.
Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress, was speaking on 'Social Development – Girl, Child and Women Empowerment in West Bengal'.
Pointing to West Bengal's diversity, she said people in the state celebrate all festivals together without discrimination.
"We have about 11 crore people in our state -- almost like a big country. Our beauty lies in the fact that more than 33 percent of our people belong to minority communities, including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Gorkhas. Around 6 percent are tribals, and 23 percent belong to Scheduled Castes. People of every caste, creed, and religion love each other," she said.
Banerjee underlined the need for a human-centric approach to governance.
"Our mission is to ensure that there is no discrimination among students, women, farmers, and workers. We must consider all people as human beings. Without humanity, this world cannot run, continue, or sustain -- I firmly believe so," she said.
