Odisha govt official speaks to state labourers trapped in Uttarkashi tunnel

Bhubaneswar: An official of the Odisha government's labour department has spoken to workers from the state trapped after the collapse of an under-construction tunnel in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

Five labourers from Odisha are among the 40 workers who have been trapped there.

"We have sent two officials to Uttarkashi, who are coordinating with the local administration and line agencies for the safe rescue of the workers. One of our officials talked to the trapped labourers through the pipe laid down there for communication," said an official of the labour department.

The labourers said they are safe and doing fine. Water and food are being supplied to them. It was expected that the workers would be rescued soon, he said.

The labour officials will camp there till the completion of the rescue operation and bring them back to Odisha.

The workers from Odisha have been identified as Tapan Mandal and Bhagban Batra from Nabarangpur, and Biseswar Nayak, Dhiren, and Raju Nayak from Mayurbhanj district.