The death toll in the Chamoli tunnel incident rose to 11 after a worker receiving treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh succumbed to injuries, officials said.
They are referring to compensation given by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) during the Raini disaster incident, but the THDC is citing the compensation given during the recent Sikkim tunnel incident. “The operation was challenging as a large stretch of the tunnel was filled with water, debris and slush, while heavy machinery was also stuck inside, restricting the movement of rescue teams. “A total compensation of ₹ 11 lakh has been announced by the THDC and executing company Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), but the workers are demanding a compensation of ₹ 50 lakh.
“The death toll in the incident is now 11,” he said. We have called the stakeholders for the next round of talks,” the DM said. Kumar said the search operation was completed after the recovery of the two missing workers. However, through sustained efforts and coordinated operations, the teams managed to reach the affected sections and recover the missing workers,” Kumar said.
The search and rescue operation in the inundated under-construction tunnel in Chamoli ended on Tuesday with the recovery of the bodies of two missing workers.
He said the district administration was also mediating talks between representatives of the victim workers and THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited) regarding the workers’ demand for increased compensation.
