Kin of trapped workers of Gumla reach T’gana tunnel collapse site

Gumla: Family members of four Gumla workers trapped inside the collapsed Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana reached the site on Tuesday, hoping their loved ones would come out safely. Before reaching the site, they met the officials of Jaypee group that is constructing the tunnel at its office, located 5 km from the tunnel collapse site.
The Gumla administration arranged their journey to Telangana following the directive of chief minister Hemant Soren. "Private company officials informed that a total of 90 workers from Gumla district are associated with the execution of the SLBC tunnel project," said DMFT fellow Avinash Pathak, who is leading the family members of the trapped workers.
Earlier in the day, they met Nagarkurnool district collector Badavath Santhosh, who briefed them about the rescue operation, saying a team of ‘rat miners' have arrived and experts from the Geological Survey of India and the National Geographical Research Institute have been included in the rescue efforts. One family member from each of the four trapped workers from Gumla, along with two officers, DMFT fellow Avinash and sub-inspector (SI) Nikhil Anand, reached Telangana on Monday night. "We may have to stay 4-5 days here, given the challenging rescue operation," said a visiting officer.
Gumla DC Karn Satyarthi, who sent the Gumla team, said, "The district administration is keeping a close eye on the rescue operation, wishing for the safe extraction of the trapped workers. The administration is also in contact with family members in their respective villages here and is supporting them as well."
He added, "We have also received some complaints regarding non-payment of dues to some other workers from Gumla. We have taken that up with the Nagarkurnool administration too."
After visiting the tunnel site, the father of one of trapped workers, Jitu Sahu, told TOI, "We hope there is oxygen in other side of the debris. The way rescue operation is being planned, it will be a successful." Sahu who has experience of tunnel construction in Uttarakhand in the past and seeing videos of work in Telangana sent by his son Sandeep Sahu, added "We will stay here till the end of rescue work."
"We also met the ‘rat miners' who had reached the debris and returned walking 5 km inside the tunnel on Tuesday," Avinash said.