ALAPPUZHA: Three Malayali youth have joined the ongoing efforts to rescue the over 100 people believed to be trapped inside the NTPC tunnel at Tapovan in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand following a glacier burst on February 7.The trio includes Bineesh Thomas of Kavalam here, Renjith Israel from Thiruvananthapuram and Wayanad native M Nithin. Bineesh, who spoke to TNIE from Ground Zero at Tapovan, said majority of the victims are stuck inside the 1,746m-long tunnel being built for the hydel project.
“The tunnelling work is not over. Also, the entrance to the tunnel is covered with mud and heavy rocks due to the impact of flood. The tunnelling work started from both ends but it is not joined. So, rescuers cannot go inside the tunnel.
The army had cleared a 100m stretch from the entrance of rocks and mud in five days. But clearing the entire stretch is a Herculean task and will take many days,” he said.
“Along with the main tunnel, the work on the auxiliary tunnels was also on. The auxiliary tunnels are intended for use in the event of an emergency. Around five auxiliary tunnels are part of the project. Majority of the workers were inside the auxiliary tunnel when tragedy hit. The floodwater along with mud gushed into the auxiliary tunnel from main tunnel,” added Bineesh.
According to Renjith, the dam site had been buried under mud which was 20ft high. “The rescuers started their work only after debris strewn along a 100m stretch was cleared. Five dead bodies were pulled out from the debris which can be completely removed only with the help of heavy-duty machines. Humans cannot enter the tunnel since heavy rocks block the path inside the tunnel,” he said. Nithin is an expert driver while Bineesh is an excellent swimmer. The latter had rescued more than 350 people during the 2018 flood and the Kavalapara landslide. The duo had been feted by the state government for their role in various rescue operations.