A High-Level Committee (HLC) has been formed to probe the tunnel tragedy at the under-construction Teesta Stage-VI Hydro Electric Project in Sikkim’s Namchi district that has so far claimed 22 lives.
The committee has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations to the competent authority within 15 days, a senior official said on Thursday.
According to a notification issued by Chief Secretary R. Telang, an explosion-like incident occurred on 20 July inside the under-construction ADIT-III tunnel at Samardung in Jholungey, prompting the state government to order an inquiry into the causes and circumstances leading to the tragedy and to recommend measures to prevent such incidents in future.
The committee will be headed by Tashi Wangyal, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Sikkim Police. Its other members are Phigu Tshering Bhutia, Principal Director, Mines and Geology Department; Keshar Luitel, Additional Director, Mines and Geology Department; and Tenzing Loden Lepcha, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CID.
The HLC has been tasked with establishing the sequence of events and the exact cause of the explosion-like incident and the subsequent build-up of gas inside the tunnel. It will examine whether the incident resulted from blasting operations, methane or other noxious gases, equipment failure, or any other factor.
The committee will also review compliance with safety norms, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the Mines Act, 1952, Tunnel Safety Guidelines and the Explosives Rules, 2008. It will examine the adequacy of ventilation systems, gas detection mechanisms, emergency exhaust systems and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Besides determining the type and source of the leaked gas, the committee has been authorised to examine any other matter relevant to the incident during the course of its inquiry.