The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished Wakeel Hassan’s home, a rat-hole miner who played a crucial role in rescuing 41 workers trapped in Uttarkashi’s Silkyara tunnel last November. The DDA justifies the demolition as part of planned development in Khajoori Khas village, where several other houses were also razed.
Responding to inquiries, the DDA stated that the demolition drive on February 28 aimed to clear encroachments on acquired land for planned development in Khajoori Khas village.
Hassan, in a shared video, expressed dismay at the demolition of his family’s residence without prior notice, mentioning his visit to a police station regarding the incident. Munna Qureshi, another rescue team member, claimed they were assaulted by the police.
A Delhi Police officer confirmed the demolition of several illegally constructed structures during the drive and stated that the police assisted in maintaining law and order.
Hassan and five other members of the rat-hole mining team reside in Khajoori Khas, while the others are from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. Their specialized mining techniques facilitated the successful clearing of debris inside the under-construction Silkyara tunnel, where workers were trapped for about 17 days after a section collapsed on November 12 until their rescue.
It’s disheartening to see Hassan, who risked his life selflessly to save others, lose his home this way. Authorities should have considered his situation before demolishing his house. This situation underscores the importance of better communication and support for those who contribute to society in extraordinary ways.
What happened last year?
Last November, 41 men were rescued from a collapsed tunnel in India’s Uttarakhand state. Irrespective of high-tech tools, a group of rat miners played a crucial role in the rescue.
The Silkyara Bend-Barkot tunnel collapsed on November 12, trapping construction workers underground. The tunnel was part of PM Narendra Modi’s Char Dham pilgrimage program, aimed at connecting Hindu pilgrimage sites. The exact cause of the collapse remains unconfirmed, but the region’s geological instability likely contributed.
Rescue efforts faced delays, with heavy machinery breaking down. Eventually, six miners from central India utilized rat mining, a manual drilling technique, to break through the remaining rock. Working tirelessly in two teams, they successfully extracted all workers after over 24 hours of effort.
Rat mining involves manually excavating narrow tunnels, resembling rats burrowing underground. Although banned due to safety concerns, it persists in some areas, including Meghalaya, where children were often involved. Despite controversy, rat mining remains prevalent in the unregulated mining sector.
