`I ll never go back into those tunnels`
It was about 10 pm. I was working in the Intermediate level outlet. Suddenly I felt the earth shake and heard a loud sound. Then a huge cascade of rocks and boulders came upon me. First I could not feel anything but then the pain came. I realised that an irod rod had pierced my right shoulder and there was a huge plate on my chest. It is probably the plate that saved my life because it shielded my body from the falling rocks and debris. I lay there for about 2-3 hours in the darkness. Then I heard some noise and saw a rescue team come in a cable car from above. But since they had not brought any cutters they could not extricate me from the debris. They said they would return. I requested that one person stay with me since it would give me some confidence and hope but I guess they were too scared to stay inside and all of them left. They came back about two hours later. They cut the iron rod and extracted me from the debris. But a portion of the iron rod remained in my shoulder. I was taken to the hospital in Tehri and given first aid. They removed the iron rod and then I was shifted here (The Himalayan Hospital, Jollygrant).
It is clearly the company's (J P Industries) fault. How can they allow this to happen? Even earlier, small accidents have been taking place and many workers have lost their lives in these tunnels. Now I am too scared to go back. In my entire life I have never taken a single pill or an injection and now look what has happened to me. I am never going back to those tunnels. I will take whatever compensation they will give me and go back to my village in Bihar to do some other work.