PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Jyotirmath
The bodies of the two remaining workers were retrieved on Tuesday from the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydro power project tunnel afflicted by landslide and flooding on August 13. According to officials, a total of 22 workers were initially stranded in the tunnel on the day of the disaster. Out of these, 10 persons died and 12 were injured.
The Chamoli district administration, police, State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force, THDC India Limited and other agencies involved were undertaking the search and rescue operation since disaster struck. The authorities focused on draining water from the flooded tunnel, removing debris and bringing the machinery out to enable rescue teams to search and rescue the stranded workers. While the State machinery did its best to deal with the situation, workers, locals and activists have once again raised questions at the execution of such projects in the State. The real scientific, practical and technical aspects are either being ignored or downplayed to get work done on projects at the cost of the environment and locals while also enhancing disaster risk, activists alleged.
