Bengal Minister of State for Home and Hill Affairs Bishal Lama on Wednesday announced Rs 5 lakh financial assistance from the West Bengal government for the next of kin of those killed in the NHPC Teesta Stage-VI tunnel tragedy in Sikkim.
Lama also assured that the state would stand by the affected families and extend all possible support during the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
The Minister of State visited the NHPC Teesta Stage-VI hydroelectric project accident site at Samardung in Sikkim, where he reviewed the rescue operations, met officials overseeing the exercise and interacted with the families of the trapped workers on the spot on Wednesday.
Speaking after the visit, Lama said the West Bengal government has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tunnel collapse. He said the state government would continue to extend all possible support to the affected families during this difficult period.
Lama said the district administrations in North Bengal are maintaining close coordination with their counterparts in Sikkim to assist the families of the victims and those still trapped inside the tunnel. He added that officials are helping relatives with travel, documentation and other necessary arrangements.
According to Lama, seven of the deceased have so far been identified. He said the identified victims include workers from Nagrakata and Meteli in Jalpaiguri district as well as from Alipurduar district. He also disclosed that three workers from Alipurduar have now been identified among those trapped inside the tunnel.
Earlier, nine trapped workers had been identified from the Meteli and Nagrakata areas of Jalpaiguri district. With the latest identification, a total of 11 workers from Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts are believed to have been among those trapped in the accident.
Lama expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said both the Sikkim and West Bengal governments have announced financial assistance for the families of those killed. He added that NHPC would also provide compensation to the families of the deceased.
Rescue operations continued at the accident site on Wednesday as specialised teams worked to locate the remaining trapped workers. Authorities said the operation remains challenging because of the conditions inside the tunnel, while efforts are continuing on a war footing.
Rescue operations, which had been suspended since Tuesday night due to heavy rain and waterlogging inside the tunnel, resumed around midday on Wednesday after stagnant water was pumped out. Expert rescue teams, including personnel from Asansol, re-entered the tunnel and restarted the search operation. During the resumed operation, one more body was recovered, taking the death toll to 13, Sikkim State government office said.
According to an official report, 25 persons, including engineers, were trapped inside the tunnel following the incident on Monday afternoon. Rescue teams recovered 12 bodies on Tuesday. One more body was recovered on Wednesday, taking the death toll to 13.