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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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
