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Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Ganesh Godiyal on Saturday criticised the state government over the Pipalkoti tunnel accident, questioning how a reported leak at the spot was allegedly "overlooked", as the death toll in the incident rose to eight. The Congress leader also raised concerns over the compensation announced for the families of the victims, saying the assistance was inadequate.

Congress Questions Compensation and Safety

"When I spoke to the injured, I learned that a leak had been occurring for quite some time at the very spot where the incident took place. How this was overlooked or why there was such apathy towards it is a matter for further investigation. NTPC provided Rs one lakh, but that amount is insufficient. I will discuss what arrangements can be made to ensure the families can sustain themselves properly," Godiyal told ANI.

Referring to the Rs 4 lakh compensation announced by the Chief Minister, Godiyal said, "The CM announced compensation of Rs four lakh, though I believe that amount is not sufficient."

While speaking to ANI over the incident, Congress leader Harikrishna Bhatt also questioned the compensation and called for safety audits of all ongoing projects in the state. "Regarding the announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh, a human life cannot be valued at merely Rs 4 lakh," Bhatt said. "Safety audits should have been conducted for all such ongoing projects. The entire population of Uttarakhand is bearing the brunt of these disasters which are man-made. There is a need for a thorough analysis to determine what actual interests the people of Uttarakhand have in these large-scale projects," he added.

Rescue Operations Underway Amid Challenges

The death toll in the Pipalkoti tunnel accident rose to eight on Saturday after rescue teams recovered one more body from the site. Two other individuals remain trapped inside the under-construction THDC tunnel, with rescue operations underway to locate and evacuate them.

The accident occurred on Thursday evening after a landslide-like event near the Birhi River sent a heavy surge of water and debris into the tunnel, trapping workers who were on duty, NDRF team commander Amrit Lal Meena said. Rescue operations are being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), District Disaster Response Force (DDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The presence of water and accumulated sludge inside the tunnel has made the rescue operation challenging, restricting movement and hampering efforts to conduct a comprehensive search.

Official Cites 'Unprecedented' Water Influx

Meanwhile, Executive Director of THDC India Limited (THDCIL) Ajay Verma said the massive influx of water appeared to have been caused by a pre-existing natural cavity. "Regarding the leakage and the massive influx of water in the tunnel, it appears there was a pre-existing natural cavity. During the rainy season, this cavity filled with water. The volume was so great that it found a weak point, specifically where we were excavating the tunnel from below, leading to the leakage," Verma told ANI.

"The inflow consists mostly of water, with very little debris. Historically, such a massive influx of water, enough to fill the tunnel for a stretch of 1.2 kilometres, is unprecedented in hydro-tunnel projects. This level of leakage is highly unusual and unexpected. It is a matter requiring investigation," he added.

Verma said the water level had been lowered by around 1.5 metres and that authorities were continuously increasing the number of pumps. "We have managed to lower the water level by about 1.5 meters. We are continuously increasing the number of pumps in operation. Running these pumps requires laying pipelines and ensuring a power supply; we are managing all these tasks simultaneously," he said.

He added that less than a metre of water remained inside the tunnel. "We are about to go inside with the Chairman to show him how much water has been drained. Less than a metre of water remains now," Verma said.

"We will aim to pump out all the water by this evening and try to conclude the operation by tomorrow," he said. Rescue teams are continuing efforts to pump out water, clear accumulated sludge and reach the two individuals still trapped inside the tunnel. (ANI)