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Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse: Large Diameter Pipes, Drilling Machines Arrive At Site For Evacuation Of 40 Trapped Workers

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Uttarkashi: Rescue operations continued for the third day to evacuate 40 workers still trapped inside an under construction tunnel that collapsed on Sunday. Trucks laden with 900 mm diameter pipes started arriving at Silkyara since midnight. A portion of the under construction tunnel between Silkyara and Dandalgaon on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway collapsed in the early hours of November 12.

According to authorities, a platform is being prepared for an auger machine to drill horizontally and insert large diameter MS pipes in between the debris so that the trapped workers can be taken out throught the metal pipes.

Rescuers said that the teams still have to clear about 35 metres of debris more to reach the location of the 40 trapped workers. The platform for the auger machine has been prepared.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday conducted an on-site inspection of the rescue operations.

“I myself visited the spot and conducted an on-site inspection and am constantly keeping an eye on the rescue operations. Arrangements have been made to send large diameter hume pipes from Haridwar and Dehradun for rescue operations,” Dhami said.

PM Modi speaks to Chief Minister Dhami

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talked to Chief Minister Dhami over the phone and inquired about the 40 workers trapped inside the tunnel.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw have also inquired about the workers with the Uttarakhand Chief Minister.

Uttarkashi Superintendant of Police (SP) Arpan Yaduvanshi on Monday had said it may take one more day to rescue the workers.

He said that out of the 60 metres of debris, over 20 metres of debris had been cleared and they espected to evacuate the 40 people trapped inside by Tuesday night. “All basic amenities including oxygen, food and water are being provided to them through pipes. Family members of the people trapped have also been contacted…” the police official said.

Silkyara Tunnel

The Silkyara Tunnel is 4531 meters long and is being constructed at a cost of Rs 853.79 crore. A report from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) says the tunnel had been breached by 21 metres and rescue efforts are continuing.

“On November 10, 2023, re-profiling work was started from Ch. 260m to Ch. 265m at LHS and for the same patch primary lining works for the same were completed. On November 12, breaking work was started from Ch. 260m to Ch. 263m for the next patch of work and around 5:30 am, early morning collapse occurred from Ch. 205m to 260 meters where re-profiling was completed. 40 workers based on contractor tunnel entry register trapped inside the tunnel,” the report said.

National News

Waqf Bill will not be stopped by threats: Jagdambika Pal on Muslim groups’ protest

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New Delhi, March 10: As protests by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) intensify against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is expected to be presented in Parliament soon, Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), reaffirmed on Monday that the Bill will be passed and not be stopped by threats.

To mount pressure on the BJP’s key allies — TDP and JD(U) — the Board has decided to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar on March 13 and is sending invitations to all the Opposition parties to take part in it.

It has warned that if the Bill is still passed, the Board will launch a nationwide movement.

Additionally, they will also approach the Supreme Court with the confidence that justice will be served.

Speaking with media, Jagdambika Pal said, “The Supreme Court is always an option, but should democracy function through threats or by the will of the people? Laws are made by elected representatives, not by threats or violent rhetoric.”

He further criticised the contradiction in the AIMPLB’s approach, where they threaten action while simultaneously seeking legal recourse.

Pal defended the government’s stance, saying that the Waqf Bill had been carefully considered by the JPC after extensive consultations.

“We listened to the AIMPLB for six months, giving them four hours to voice their concerns,” Pal said.

“As a result, we’ve now prepared a 400-page amendment, which addresses the needs of the country’s minorities. This law aims to support vulnerable groups, including the poor, women, orphans, widows, and economically backward Muslims.”

The amendments, according to Pal, ensure that the Bill will benefit those who need it most, making it a crucial step forward for marginalised Muslim communities. He made it clear that no threats would halt the process of passing the law.

Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind lent its support to the AIMPLB’s protest, accusing the government of forcing Muslims onto the streets to defend their rights.

Jamiat chief Maulana Arshad Madani expressed solidarity with the protest scheduled for March 13 at Jantar Mantar, stating that Muslims are being compelled to fight for their rights.

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Bihar BJP MLA says Muslims should only come out of their houses on Holi with big hearts

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Patna, March 10: Bihar BJP MLA, Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, sparked a major political controversy with his statement warning the Muslim community not to step out of their homes on Holi or else not mind having colour being put on them.

His remarks have drawn sharp reactions, further fueling tensions after recent communal disputes in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.

“Muslims should not go out of their homes on Holi, otherwise they will get coloured. There are 52 Jummas (Fridays) in the year and one Holi, so Muslims should remain indoors on this day. If they step out, they should show a big heart and not oppose if abir or gulal is applied on them,” Bachaul said.

Bihar’s political climate has intensified, with Opposition parties calling his statement divisive and inflammatory.

Many leaders have condemned the remark, accusing Bachaul of stoking communal tensions ahead of Holi.

Muslim leaders and community representatives have criticised the statement, calling it an attack on personal freedom.

Bihar Minister Jama Khan responded to Bachaul’s remarks by emphasising the need for unity and harmony among communities. He clarified that while Muslims traditionally avoid stained clothes during Friday prayers (Jumma Namaz), accidental colour during Holi should not be a cause for division.

“Bihar celebrates all festivals with brotherhood. No one should deliberately throw colour on Namazis, but if it happens accidentally, it is not an issue,” Khan said.

Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi launched a blistering attack on the BJP over the issue.

She accused the BJP of trying to create communal divisions and warned that Biharis would reject them in the upcoming elections.

“The people of Bihar will teach BJP a lesson and throw them out of Bihar. If PM Modi has the courage then he should drive out the Muslims from Bihar and the country,” she said.

With Bihar’s political landscape heating up, this controversy is expected to be a major flashpoint in upcoming electoral battles. Given past incidents, statements like these may further polarise voters and impact social harmony.

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disaster

Telangana tunnel tragedy: Intense efforts on to trace remaining 7 missing men

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Hyderabad, March 10: Day after recovering one body from the debris, rescue teams continued intense efforts to search for the remaining seven people in the SLBC tunnel in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on Monday.

Rescue teams from various agencies were undertaking digging work at another point identified by the cadaver sniffer dog squad from Kerala.

Rat miners from Uttarakhand, miners from Singareni Collieries and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were carefully digging around the point with mini-excavators.

The search operation continued for the 17th day in the last 70 metres of the 14-km-long tunnel, where the eight workers were trapped after a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed on a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) on February 22.

Rescue workers on Sunday evening exhumed one body from the point identified by the cadaver dog squad.

The body was identified as that of TBM operator Gurpreet Singh. The 40-year-old hailed from Punjab and was working for Robbins Company, which supplies and operates tunnel boring machines.

The body was shifted to government hospital at Nagarkurnool and after completing medical and legal formalities was taken to his hometown in Punjab.

The seven people yet to be traced are Manoj Kumar and Sri Niwas from Uttar Pradesh, Sunny Singh from Jammu and Kashmir and Sandeep Sahu, Jegta Xess, Santosh Sahu and Anuj Sahu, all from Jharkhand.

The rescue agencies hoped that more bodies would be recovered soon based on the sniffer dog leads and the ground probing radar (GPR) scanning information provided by the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).

The rescue workers continued to face challenges due to the debris of the TBM and the large amount of muck.

The TBM, which had a total length of 132.5 metres, was buried under silt and rocks in the February 22 incident.

The workers who were present in the front portion of the TBM were trapped while 42 others who were at the back end managed to come out of the tunnel.

The technicians from the South Central Railway (SCR) have so far cut the TBM into pieces for a length of about 60 metres.

The head portion of the TBM remained buried in the debris and the last 70 metres of the tunnel is still filled with 3 to 9 metres deep slush and other debris, posing a risk to the rescue workers.

While continuing dewatering and desilting, the rescue agencies were mobilising special equipment for the workers to carry out their work without the risk of being trapped in the slush.

Two cadaver dogs trained to locate missing humans and human bodies were brought from Kerala by a special helicopter three days ago.

According to officials, these dogs of the Belgian Malinois breed can detect smell even from a depth of 15 feet.

Indian Army, Navy, NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Singareni, SCR and other agencies are participating in the search operation.

The authorities on Saturday deployed robots for rescue operations in the tunnel as suggested by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy during his visit to the tunnel on March 2.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced the deployment of robotic technology to accelerate rescue operations.

Robots equipped with cameras, infrared sensors, and robotic arms have been deployed to assess conditions and aid extraction.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed condolences over the death of Gurpreet Singh and announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia to his next of kin.

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