Ranchi: After fighting for their lives for 17 days in the under construction tunnel of Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), 41 laborers got a second life on Tuesday night. Due to this there is an atmosphere of happiness throughout the country. Among them, there are six laborers from Ranchi, two from Khunti, two from Giridih and six from Dumariya, the most backward block of East Singhbhum (Jharkhand) district. All are currently admitted in AIIMS, Rishikesh. BollywoodWallah spoke to many workers trapped inside over phone on Wednesday. Everyone narrated their ordeal of struggling for life for 17 days. The workers told that 17 days passed like 17 years inside the tunnel. We 41 laborers continued to encourage each other in times of adversity. After the incident we had to remain hungry for 18 hours. We wrote on paper using the water pipe and informed about being stuck inside. In the initial days, water pipes were our lifeline.
Prime Minister and CM were giving courage: Rajendra
Rajendra Bedia, a laborer from Kheerabeda, has been admitted to the hospital in Rishikesh. Our representative talked to Rajendra Bedia. According to Rajendra, after the incident there was darkness before his eyes. Nothing could be known about morning and night. But, he was hopeful that something would be being done to get him out. Rajendra said that he was missing his family members a lot. After two days, when a pipe was drilled and sent, their hopes increased. Food was sent only through pipes. Meanwhile, talks were held twice with the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. They were giving us courage. For food, rice, pulses, vegetables, bread and dry food were being sent through pipes. Rajendra said that he is the only earning member of the house. He was worried about what would happen to his parents if something happened to him. According to Rajendra, he was not able to sleep properly for so many days.
Couldn’t tell about day and night: Sukhram
Our representative talked to Sukhram Bedia, a resident of Kheerabeda, Ormanjhi, admitted from Rishikesh Hospital in Uttarakhand, at around 7 pm on Wednesday evening. Sukhram said that thank God that he and all his companions were evacuated safely. Sukhram said that he was not able to sleep since the incident. Due to no light coming from anywhere in the tunnel, nothing could be known about day and night. According to Sukhram, everyone was encouraging each other.
Saba Ahmed and Gabbar Singh were giving courage
Laborer Vijay Horo, resident of Gumdu village of Karra, spoke to our representative on phone. Vijay Horo said that he was inside the tunnel with foreman Saba Ahmed and Gabbar Singh. There was darkness all around after the incident, but the phoneman was giving him courage. According to Vijay, he was confident that everyone would be evacuated safely. He said that dry fruits along with food and water were given inside the tunnel. Oxygen, medicines and waterproof beds for sleeping were sent through pipes. Vijay said that he was talking to people outside with the help of micro phone. The temperature inside was normal. After coming out he got a new life.