Govt ignored geologists' advice on Silkyara tunnel: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday said the ordeal of 41 workers trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand for 17 days could have been averted had the government listened to the advice of experts.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Chowdhury said experts had flagged several issues related to the construction of the tunnel in the Himalayas citing fragile rock, water seepage, landslide-prone Himalayan rock system, lack of geological studies and failure to design an escape tunnel.

Had the government paid heed to the advice of geologists, the workers would not have to undergo the 17-day ordeal, he said.

"I feel that this kind of situation which took place in Uttarkashi could have been averted provided the government had taken a little patience with those geologists who had earlier red-flagged that these kinds of tunnels could be disastrous," Chowdhury said.

He said there were contradictory reports on the requirement of an escape tunnel at the construction site and demanded that the government come clean on the issue.

BJP member Ramesh Bidhuri raised the issue of difficulties faced by senior citizens in accessing upper berths during long train journeys and demanded that such persons be allotted lower berths compulsorily.

Congress member Ravneet Singh Bittu demanded that the government fulfill the assurances given to farmer unions who had laid siege to the national capital in 2020-21 demanding the repeal of the three farm laws.

The farmers have been demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations on minimum support price (MSP) for farm produce at 50 per cent in addition to the cost of production (C2+50 percent).

He said the government had set up a committee on MSP which had no representation from farmers' unions.

Bittu also demanded that the government also give Rs 10,000 per month as pension to aging farmers and also withdraw cases registered against those who participated in the year-long agitation against the three farm laws, which were later repealed.

Vinayak Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT) voiced concern over the rising crime against women and children and demanded that the government take steps to punish the perpetrators.

Congress member Pradyut Bordoloi expressed concern over the increasing cases of cancer, particularly in the northeastern region.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' of JD(U) demanded the railways ministry restore the train halts that were discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic.

N K Premachandran (RSP) raised the issue of difficulties faced by pilgrims visiting the Sabarimala shrine and demanded that the National Disaster Management Authority take steps to create facilities to ensure smooth darshan.

He said pilgrims have to wait for 18-20 hours in long queues for darshan at the shrine and lack of proper facilities for them could lead to a disaster.