New Delhi: National Disaster Management Authority member, Lt General (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain, said on Thursday that the continuing rescue operation on the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, the place 41 staff are trapped, is corresponding to a “war.” He emphasised the unpredictable nature of the operation, cautioning towards setting particular timelines, describing the Himalayan geology because the difficult adversary on this endeavor.
Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, Syed Ata Hasnain stated, “Many experts are giving opinions that they might be rescued today evening, tomorrow morning but remember these operations are like a war. These operations should not be given a timeline. In wars, we don’t know how will the enemy react. Here Himalayan geology is our enemy. From which angles the tunnel has collapsed we don’t know.”
Stating that such timelines put strain on the rescue workforce, Hasnain stated, “This is challenging work. To keep expecting that rescue will be done in the next two hours puts pressure on the workforce. This is wrong. In this situation, both the trapped workers and the rescue team are at risk. We have to cater for the safety of both.”
He additional said that NDRF is rehearsing on the spot of the rescue operations.
“NDRF DG is himself present there. NDRF is rehearsing the evacuation process for the workers. Government is also providing support in every way possible,” he stated.
However, later to a reporter’s query, the NDMA member gave an estimation that the rescue operation may be accomplished within the subsequent 4 to five hours and might be stretched until tomorrow afternoon relying on the scenario within the tunnel.
Earlier at present, Inspector-General (IG) of Police Garhwal Range KS Nagnyal said on Thursday that figuring out the rescue timeline is difficult, given the character of the equipment concerned within the operation. “The attempt at the rescue is in progress and rescue is expected to be carried out very soon. It is machinery work so a stipulated time can’t be decided. The rescue work will go on at night as well,” IG stated.
A complete fleet of 41 ambulances has been deployed on the location of the Silkyara tunnel incident in Uttarkashi, the place 41 staff are at the moment trapped. Mukesh Nautiyal, the Project Manager of Operation 108 Ambulance initiative, specified that among the many 41 ambulances, 31 belong to ‘108,’ and the remaining 10 have been provided by the administration.
On November 12, a phase of the tunnel underneath building, linking Silkyara to Barkot, collapsed, trapping 41 laborers in particles inside a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara facet. These staff are confined inside a 2 km-completed part, together with concrete work, guaranteeing their security.Â
