India Tunnel Collapse Rescue Sees Success as 'Rat Miners' Reach 41 Trapped Men
Rescuers in northern India have successfully reached 41 men who were trapped in a Himalayan highway tunnel for 17 days. The rescue was achieved by a team of 'rat miners,' who manually dug through the debris to create a passageway. This traditional method of coal mining, although banned in India, was utilized after heavy machinery failed to reach the stranded workers. The trapped men are now able to receive medical attention after their exit from the tunnel.
Rescue Team of 'Rat Miners' Reaches Trapped Men
After 17 days, a team of 'rat miners' successfully reached 41 men who were trapped in a Himalayan highway tunnel in northern India. The team manually dug through the debris, which had accumulated after a partial collapse on November 12. This breakthrough came after multiple failed attempts using heavy machinery.
The rat-hole miners, known for their expertise in a traditional method of coal mining, were called in on Monday to assist with the rescue efforts. They began drilling through the debris pile manually, creating a narrow passageway to reach the trapped men. Their tireless work has finally paid off.
Uttarakhand's Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his gratitude to all the rescue teams involved in the operation. He commended the effort and announced that the workers would soon be taken out of the tunnel.
The Challenges and Breakthroughs in the Rescue Operation
Rescuers had been attempting to drill through the debris in the collapsed tunnel using heavy machinery, but were unsuccessful. The large auger machine became stuck in the rubble and had to be dismantled, which took several days.
A small pipe was drilled into the tunnel on the first day of the collapse, providing the trapped workers with oxygen, food, and medicine. Last week, a slightly wider pipe was forced through the rubble, allowing for hot meals and a medical camera to be sent to the trapped men.
Now that the trapped men have been reached, they will be taken immediately for medical checks. The rescue operation has been a challenging process, but with the success of the 'rat miners,' the workers can finally receive the care they need.
Understanding Rat-Hole Mining in India
Rat-hole mining is a primitive method of manual coal extraction that involves digging narrow, vertical shafts to access coal deposits. This method is officially banned in India due to its environmental impact and unsafe labor conditions.
Miners descend into these narrow pits using ropes or bamboo ladders, often without proper safety gear. They manually extract coal using basic tools such as pickaxes, shovels, and baskets. These tunnels are usually only wide enough for a single miner, and women and children are often involved in the process.
Despite the ban on rat-hole mining, it continues to be practiced in some parts of India where viable alternative livelihoods are scarce. The environmental damage caused by this method includes soil erosion, deforestation, acidification of rivers, and disruption of local ecosystems.
