Devanjana Mukherjee, Khabri Media
Mahindra & Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra also appreciate the efforts of the erat-hole miners in the gruesome rescue operation.
Pic: Social Media
On Sunday, the 15th day that the 41 workers spent trapped inside the Silkyara tunnel, hopes were fast diminishing amidst consecutive setbacks caused by the auger machine’s failure to drill beyond 45 meters. It was then that a decision was taken to deploy a team of ‘rate -hole miners, eventually making it as a game changer of the entire Silyara tunnel incident. To subscribe please click tau.id/2iy6f and access our live channel.
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Rat-hole mining may be illegal but the talent and experience of rat-hole miners were used in the rescue operation to save the 41 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel, a National Disaster Management Authority member said on Tuesday.
Rat-hole mining is a controversial and hazardous procedure in which miners in small groups go down narrow burrows to excavate small quantities of coal. method has faced severe criticism due to its hazardous working conditions, environmental damage, and numerous accidents leading to injuries and fatalities.
The team of miners, known for their specialization in burrowing through narrow stretches, worked in shifts and excavated the final 12 meters. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt. Gen. (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain said that rat-hole miners did a phenomenal job by digging the final metres in less than 24 hours.
Pic: Social Media
The miners, who work for a Delhi-based private company ‘Rockwell’, undertook the operation under the supervision of the Indian Army. Team leader Wakeel Hasan stated that, “we had past experience of excavating small tunnels for laying long sewer and water pipe lines. But nothing of the scale encountered during the tunnel rescue.”
Devendra, one of the ‘rat-hole’ miners, said, “The workers were so happy to see us when we achieved the breakthrough. They hugged us when we entered the other side.” Feroze Qureshi and Monu Kumar, experts in the rat-hole mining technique, were the first to meet the 41 labourers rescued from the Silkyara tunnel on Tuesday night.
Pic: Social Media
Describing it as the most demanding — and satisfying — job of their career, the Silkyara Tunnel heroes added, “We realised that there was a lot of expectation from us. The eyes of the entire country were on us and we couldn’t afford to disapppoint.”
The rat-hole miner added that he will never forget the respect they (trapped workers) gave to him. “I removed the last rock. I could see them. Then I went to the other side. They hugged us and lifted us. And thanked us for taking us out. We worked continuously in the last 24 hours. I can’t express my happiness. I have done it for my country,”
