Uttarakhand flood: NTPC continues to work diligently to save lives
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Uttrakhand: Eleven days have passed since the natural calamity that took place in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. On the morning of 7th February, a massive flash flood destroyed the NTPC Tapovan project in Uttarakhand. Unfortunately, there were multiple casualties and over 100 people went missing. Both the deceased and the missing persons included workers on duty at the project site. The water level of the flood was recorded at 1,388 metres at Joshimath at 11 am which implies the severity of the damage caused to life and property.
The manner in which one dam collapsed in seconds in Uttarakhand has horrified and traumatised people who are residing in the downstream areas. Such avalanches are life-threatening and pose a great risk of damaging property as well. Therefore, better mechanisms need to be built to confront such situations.
We all know about the potential destruction such flash floods care capable of. The Uttarakhand flash flood not only endangered the lives of people living along its banks but also raised fears of a massive wreck.
Knowing that people are struggling for their lives, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF, Uttarkhand's State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, and the Indian Army have come together for the rescue operations. Specialised teams from Indian Air Force, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have reached the affected area for surveillance and rescue operations.
The team of ITBP, NDRF, and SDRF are spearheading the rescue operation by working round the clock to rescue the contract labourers. The rescue operation would not have been feasible without the collaborative effort of all the engineers of NTPC Tapovan and the ITBP, NDRF and SDRF team. NTPC had shared the layout plan of the tunnel with the rescue teams of ITBP, NDRF and SDRF and helped them interpret the geographical location of the affected area due to which the rescue operation was more fruitful. Without comprehending the length and breadth of the tunnel it is impossible to carry out any rescue operation. Mahender (name changed on request) who is an engineer at NTPC Tapovan said that a dedicated team of experienced engineers is working 24x7 with various agencies to save the lives of the trapped workers. “Needless to say, it is of utmost importance to save the lives of everyone stranded -- contract workers, engineers and the villagers. Everyone’s life is equally important,” he added.
Although NTPC Tapovan engineers are leaving no stone unturned to save the people stuck in the tunnel, the amount of water and quagmire has made drilling a challenging process. Hence, it is crucial to avoid any miscalculations with regards to the drilling. This is where the expertise of an engineer is tested. An engineer has to apply proper algorithms to measure the pressure that will be released because even a slight mistake can lead to further setbacks in the rescue mission.
Clearly, the NTPC engineers who have been working diligently in the background to save lives and support humanity in this hour of crisis have emerged as unsung heroes of this rescue operation. The nation salutes them for their efforts and selfless contribution.
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