41 Workers Trapped in Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescued

What Should the Government Learn from It?

Newsreel Asia Insight #58
Nov. 29, 2023

At last, after an intense 16-day struggle, 41 workers were saved from the Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel in Uttarakhand, owing to the efforts of rat-hole miners armed with simple tools. This rescue, though a relief, serves as another crucial reminder for India’s path of development: the pursuit of progress must not undermine the health of our environment and the well-being of local communities.

Using their bare hands and basic tools, the rat-hole miners cleared away the final obstruction of debris after machines imported from the U.S. had bored a passage over two weeks filled with gruelling challenges, The Telegraph reported on Nov. 29. Once the rat-hole miners emerged, having removed 8-10 meters of debris, personnel from the National Disaster Response Force stepped in, it said.

However, the rescue operation’s success, while a relief, does not mask the underlying issues. It highlights the dangers associated with infrastructure projects in geologically vulnerable regions such as the Himalayas. It is also essential to remember that rat-hole mining is prohibited in India because of the significant environmental and safety hazards it presents.

The BBC reminds us that the Himalayas, which emerged 45 million years ago, are not just prone to seismic activity but are also made up of different types of rocks, contributing to their inherent instability. Hemant Dhyani, an environmentalist, tells the British media that the region, a crucial carbon sink – absorbing and storing the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide over an extended period – influencing India’s climate, has witnessed over 1,000 landslides and significant environmental degradation in recent years.

The Char Dham project, which is aimed at reducing travel time and under which this tunnel falls, aims to improve connectivity in Uttarakhand. It’s an 889 km long National Highway currently under construction, with a minimum width of 10 metres, designed to complement the ongoing Char Dham Railway project. Its purpose is to connect the four sites considered sacred in Uttarakhand: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, thereby enhancing the region’s connectivity and accessibility.

However, the project’s execution raises serious environmental concerns.

Bernard Gruppe, a consultancy firm participating in the tunnel’s construction, observed unforeseen geological challenges from the very beginning of the project. Although the construction of an escape passage was approved back in 2018, it has yet to be built.

An expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court had advised constructing a narrower tunnel, but the government opted for larger constructions instead, the BBC points out. It reflects a disregard for the expert guidance provided.

Environmentalists, including Dhyani, who previously served on the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee, calls for a “terrain-specific approach” for infrastructure projects. This strategy involves comprehensive environmental risk assessments and active involvement of stakeholders, aiming to ensure that development is resilient to both disasters and climate change. While there are views suggesting that well-executed underground constructions may not inherently damage the ecology, there is a unanimous agreement on the necessity of meticulous planning and execution in such infrastructure endeavours.

The Char Dham project impacts more than just the environment; it has significant socio-economic effects on the local communities who rely on the region’s natural resources.

However, the entire infrastructure project has been broken down into smaller segments, each less than 100 kilometres in length. This division is strategic because, under certain regulations, smaller projects may not be subject to the same rigorous environmental assessments as larger ones. Essentially, by keeping each segment under 100 km, the project as a whole can avoid some of the comprehensive environmental evaluations typically required for large-scale infrastructure projects. This approach exposes a loophole, which needs immediate attention and rectification.

The prolonged rescue operation is certainly a story of human endurance and bravery. However, it also represents the larger challenge confronting India in its quest for development. The nation must navigate its path to advancement with caution, making sure that its developmental strides honour both the environment and the livelihoods of those who rely on it.