Uttarakhand CM gives Rs. 1 lakh ex-gratia

Uttarkashi: A day after the 400-hour rescue operation, which led to the safe passage of 41 trapped workers inside Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met and enquired about the health of rescued workers at Chinyalisaur Community Health Centre this morning and handed over ex-gratia cheque for Rs. 1 lakh to each of them.

The prayers of billions of Indians, who were hoping for the happy ending for this rescue operation, was finally heard, as the trapped workers came out of the tunnel in good health. However, they will be sent home after keeping them under medical observation for some time.

All the 41 construction workers, who were trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel for 17 days since Nov. 12, were successfully rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi yesterday evening, deploying rat-hole mining.

Feroze Qureshi and Monu Kumar, experts in rat-hole mining technique, were the first to meet trapped labourers after they cleared the last bit of the rubble inside the tunnel.

Qureshi from Delhi and Kumar from Uttar Pradesh were part of a 12-member team of rat-hole mining experts, who were called on Sunday for drilling after an American auger machine faced hurdles while clearing the rubble.

Yesterday, the rescued workers were greeted with marigold flower garlands by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V.K. Singh.

Following the safe evacuation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the courage and patience of trapped workers and their families and the bravery and determination of therescue personnel.

The rescued workers also had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming out of the tunnel.

Before emerging to the cameras and crowds and being whisked away in ambulances, all the 41 rescued workers underwent a health check-up at a makeshift medical camp at the tunnel entrance. Of the 41 men, eight are from Uttar Pradesh, 15 are from Jharkhand, two are from Uttarakhand, five are from Bihar, three are from West Bengal, five are from Odisha, two are from Assam and one is from Himachal Pradesh.