Was the tunnel tragedy in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli, wherein eight employees had been killed and two others are nonetheless lacking, avoidable? Those that have labored on the venture insist that it was, claiming that soiled water was leaking from the roof earlier than the tunnel bought flooded on Thursday night and that the corporate didn’t take motion regardless of officers being alerted a number of occasions.
Catastrophe Administration and Rehabilitation Minister Madan Kaushik visited the location on Saturday and was approached by some employees who raised this situation with him.
Ankush, a employee from Gauchar in Chamoli district, alleged that the corporate had been negligent.
Picture Credit score: PTI
“We place a rib (help arch) to help the roof contained in the tunnel. Clear water used to move from there however we observed soiled water on Wednesday. We knowledgeable our engineers and officers about it. Our colleagues additionally talked about that that they had reported this. They didn’t come to examine it. As a substitute, they instructed us the rib was settling,” Ankush recalled.
READ | Death Count In Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse Rises To 8, Search On For 2 Others
The employee stated the night-shift crew had additionally warned them to enter rigorously and work with warning as a result of the rib was sinking. Some particles, he said, began falling round Thursday afternoon and the tragedy occurred round 7 pm the identical day.
“It’s pure negligence, sir – complete negligence on the a part of the corporate. I can not say an excessive amount of by hook or by crook. Everybody rushes to the spot solely after an incident takes place. Earlier than that, no one comes to examine or verify something… some persons are simply drawing their salaries for doing nothing,” he alleged.
The tunnel is being executed by THDC (Tehri Hydro Growth Company) as a part of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Undertaking. The precise development work is being carried out by the Hindustan Building Firm (HCC). Makes an attempt to contact officers from the corporate proved unsuccessful.
Probe
Chamoli District Justice of the Peace Gaurav Kumar stated {that a} magisterial inquiry into the incident could be carried out following directives from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the catastrophe rehabilitation minister. He talked about that orders for the inquiry could be issued quickly, after which the causes of the accident and any potential negligence could be investigated.
The tunnel bought flooded on Thursday night after water and particles started coming into it, trapping 22 employees. Whereas 12 had been rescued, eight have been killed and two stay lacking.
“On the THDC tunnel underneath development in Chamoli, a sudden surge of particles and water trapped 22 employees who had been on responsibility on the time. Search operations are on. All companies, together with the NDRF, SDRF, and the Uttarakhand authorities’s district administration, are maintaining a continuing watch on the state of affairs,” Chief Minister Dhami stated.
