The world got the first visuals of 41 workers on the tenth day of them being trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. The visuals were made possible through the six-inch pipe that was successfully drilled across by the rescue team on Monday, which was hailed by hailed as the first major ‘breakthrough’.
Posting videos and screenshots on X, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced, “For the first time, the workers trapped inside the tunnel under construction in Silkyara, Uttarkashi were talked to through endoscopic flexi camera and inquired about their well-being. All the workers are completely safe.”
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In another post, Dhami informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been briefed about the latest developments and that the PM reiterated that “it is our top priority to evacuate all the labor brothers safely.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has cautioned TV channels against sensationalizing the ongoing rescue operation at Silkyara, Uttarakhand. It has also directed the media not to take “live posts/videos from close proximity of the tunnel site” so that “the human life saving activity by the various agencies is in no way disrupted or disturbed by the very presence of cameramen, reporters or equipment near or around the operations site.”
MIB stated that the operation is of “extremely sensitive nature involving saving so many lives” and the telecast of video footages and pictures have the potential to adversely affect the ongoing operations. It also urged the TV channels to be sensitive while reporting on the matter especially in putting out headlines, videos and images and to consider the psychological status of the family members and as well as the viewers in general.
The Ministry asserted that all efforts were being made to keep up the morale of the trapped workers and the agencies were working tirelessly to safely evacuate them from the tunnel in Uttrakhand.
The labourers have been stuck since around 5:30 am on 12th November 2023.
