A total of 41 ambulances have been arranged at the spot of Uttarkashi’s
Silkyara tunnel where 41 workers remain trapped, an official said on Thursday.
Mukesh Nautiyal, the Project Manager of Operation 108 Ambulance
initiative said that out of 41 ambulances, 31 ambulances are of ‘108’ while the
other 10 have been provided by the administration.
“There are 41 ambulances where 31 ambulances are of ‘108’ while the other
10 have been provided by the administration. Out of 31, 7 are ALS, while others
are BLS. ALS stands for Advanced Life Support, and BLS is Basic Life Support. Twenty-seven
ambulances are here, and there are 5 ambulances near the tunnel. All the
ambulances are well equipped, it’s like a mini emergency,” said Nautiyal.
In this regard, Narendra Badoni, District Program Officer of 108
Ambulance said that all the ambulances will be numbered and serious patients
will be shifted to ‘Advanced Life Support’ ambulance.
“We have been given the direction that as the workers will be rescued
from the Silkyara tunnel, the ambulances will be numbered, and we will be
informed which ambulance will go there. Serious patients will be shifted to
ALS, and normal patients will be kept in BLS. ALS is advanced life support with
a cardiac monitor, and BLS is basic life support,” he said.
Inspector-General (IG) of Police Garhwal Range KS Nagnyal, speaking about
the ongoing rescue operation of trapped 41 workers at Sikyara tunnel, said the
stipulated time of the rescue cannot be decided as it is machinery work.
“The attempt at rescue is in progress and rescue is expected to be
carried out very soon. It is machinery work so a stipulated time can’t be
decided. The rescue work will go on at night as well,” said IG.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Secretary and Nodal Officer for the Silkayara
rescue operation Neeraj Khairwal, said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh
Dhami and Union Minister General VK Singh (Retd) had a conversation with the
trapped workers that they are fine.
Former advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office, Bhaskar Khulbe who reached
the Silkyara tunnel collapse site on Thursday morning said that the entire
steel obstructing the free movement of the pipe inside has now been removed.
According to the State Government official, the rescue operation is at
the final stage as the trapped workers are likely to be pulled out today.
On November 12 a portion of the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara
to Barkot collapsed and debris falling in the 60-metre stretch on the Silkyara
side of the tunnel trapped 41 labourers inside.
The workers are trapped in a 2 km-built portion, which is complete
including concrete work that provides safety to the workers.
ANI
