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It was the triumphant end to a 17-day rescue of 41 workers from inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand that had the nation gripped. And Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was present to welcome the first of them out.
In a country where accidents such as these mostly end in heartbreak and tragedy, it was that rare good story. For now, it has also put on the backburner any heat directed by the Opposition at the BJP government over construction activities in the Himalayas and the environmental costs of the development push in the delicate geography. Equally forgotten are the numerous hiccups on the way to the rescue, which at one time threatened to boil into protests by frustrated family members.
One of the first things Dhami did after the 41 workers were found to be medically fine and fit for release after a check-up was hold celebrations with supporters lined up on both sides of the road showering the CM, travelling in an open vehicle, with flowers.
Dhami, who failed to hold on to his own seat in last year’s Assembly elections, but was retained by the high command even as it had been quick to dispose of his predecessors in his earlier term, could not have asked for a better moment.
The firefighting
The Congress, which thought it had a chance to win last year’s Assembly elections in Uttarakhand till it ended up nowhere close, attacked the government in the wake of the collapse inside the tunnel, suggesting it proved true its concerns regarding the massive infrastructure exercise on in the region. The failure of several initial rescue efforts helped them tap into the anger of the family members.
Questions were raised over whether adequate precautions had been taken in the design of the tunnel, and the right machinery used to clear the blockade. The ongoing Assembly elections in other states and the building excitement over the cricket World Cup made many ask whether the government was invested enough in what was happening at Uttarkashi.
The Congress said as much, accusing BJP leaders of preferring elections over the rescue mission, and the Centre of “apathy”. “The Silkyara-Barkot under-construction tunnel on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi was given the green signal by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20 February 2018, in which the escape passage is mentioned. How was a four-and-a-half km tunnel being built without an escape passage and scope for emergency evacuation? This is in violation of the decision taken by the PM-led committee,” the Congress had said.
The Congress also demanded financial assistance for all the rescued workers and sent a delegation headed by Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya to the spot.
A pivotal shift on the seventh day marked a turning point. A high-level meeting on November 18 introduced five strategic options, assigning different agencies – ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL – with distinct responsibilities, boosting the operation’s momentum, with the Centre seen as clearly taking charge.
Central officials crucial to the exercise included Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Additional Secretary Mahmood Ahmed, former Advisor to PM and Officer on Special Duty (Tourism) Bhaskar Khulbe, and PMO Deputy Secretary Mangesh Ghildiyal, apart from engineering geologist Varun Adhikari and expert engineer Armando Capellan.
As the rescue operation seemed to be back on track, the BJP drove home the point that both the state and Central governments were leaving no stone unturned to ensure the trapped workers were safe and would be rescued at the earliest.
It emphasised Dhami’s relentless monitoring and the continuous support to him from senior party leaders.
BJP counters
The party’s constant message was that its government’s priority was to prevent loss of life, and that issues like technical flaws or the quality of tunnel construction could be addressed later.
The party countered allegations of absenteeism by asserting the involvement of officials, and in turn accused the Congress of “weakening the morale of the rescue team” and “creating confusion about projects being undertaken to accelerate development in the state”.
Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt said all experts and disaster management teams are at the spot and busy in the operation. “As far as the government is concerned, the CM, Union Ministers, local MPs and MLAs have all gone there to take stock of the rescue operations. The PM himself has been taking regular updates from the state,” he added.
The BJP asserted that rescue work began immediately after the incident and Dhami was personally monitoring it. BJP leaders also said rescue agencies were working round-the-clock while the supply of food and oxygen to the trapped workers was ensured.
And indeed, Dhami remained the face of the rescue efforts, frequently visiting the site and even setting up camp there in the final days of the operation. Ultimately, both he and Union minister V K Singh ensured they were present when the workers finally got out.
After the rescue was over, Dhami promised aid of Rs 1 lakh to each of the 41 rescued workers and also urged the NHIDCL to grant them a 15-day paid leave. He also continued his engagement with the rescued workers during the Igas Nagwal festival, having dinners and joining them in joyous dances, videos of which were widely shared.
Finally, Dhami attributed the accomplishment to Modi’s “guidance” and his “prompt actions”.
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