DEHRADUN: The 41 labourers who have been stranded in the under-construction tunnel at Silkyara in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district for the past 12 days may have to spend another night underground as rescue operations had to be halted on Thursday due to technical hurdles.
On Wednesday night, there was hope that rescue workers would be able to reach the trapped men after three hours of drilling. However, the drilling had to be halted as the base platform on which the 25-tonne auger machine is mounted became unstable due to the rigorous operation.
Officials said the platform is being strengthened on a war footing and the rescue mission will start soon. Colonel Deepak Patil, incharge of the rescue operation at Silkyara, told this newspaper: “The machine is being lowered on to the ground using CTA bolts. The auger machine will then be brought out.
After this, manual tools will be used for digging and steel cutting will be done inside.” According to official sources, the machine was dislocated due to heavy jerks as a result of pipe load during the drilling. “There is no obstacle in front of the machine at the moment. In such a situation, relief news can come any time after midnight,” they said.
Secretary and nodal officer for the rescue mission, Neeraj Khairwal, said: “The work of strengthening the base is going on and the drill will resume. The campaign is likely to be successful by noon.” With a strong sense of hope that they will be rescued from their ‘accidental confinement’ soon, the stranded workers on Thursday received counselling from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who has cancelled all his programmes and is monitoring the rescue efforts.
During the CM’s interaction with the trapped labourers at the tunnel, psychiatrist Dr Rohit Gondwal also spoke in detail with two labourers, Saba Ahmed and Gabbar Singh Negi. “I did see symptoms of anxiety disorder in the workers, but at the moment, the chances of post-traumatic stress disorder are low,” Dr Gondwal said. Meanwhile, NDMA member Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain said the relentless public scrutiny is putting a lot of pressure on the rescue workers.