Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: Twenty workers are confirmed dead following a massive tunnel collapse at the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydropower Project in Sikkim. A suspected methane gas explosion triggered the disaster inside the Samardung tunnel shortly after 1 pm on Monday. Five workers remain trapped more than 24 hours later. Dense fumes and toxic gases continue to stall rescue operations.
Namchi Superintendent of Police Sonam D. Bhutia confirmed the grim figures. "So far, 12 bodies have been recovered, while seven victims have been identified. Efforts are underway to establish the identity of the remaining deceased," the SP said. The site faces additional complications from waterlogging and heavy slush.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang have intervened. The state is providing Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will add Rs 2 lakh per family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for each injured worker. Governor Om Prakash Mathur and Chief Minister Tamang visited the site to oversee the response.
A diverse coalition of agencies is fighting to finish the job. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Sikkim Police, Fire and Emergency Services, NHPC, and specialised mining units from West Bengal are on the scene. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also pledged Rs 5 lakh and a civic volunteer job for every family member of a West Bengal resident killed in the accident. Adhikari has sent two MLAs to coordinate directly with the Sikkim administration.
Chief Secretary Ravindra Telang chaired a high-level review meeting involving DGP Akshay Sachdeva and officials from Patel Engineering Ltd. He ordered all agencies to prioritize identification of the victims. He also ordered the careful use of oxygen to keep rescue teams safe. The Sikkim Legislative Assembly held a two-minute silence to mourn the workers lost in this disaster.
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