SP chief Akhilesh Yadav felicitates 12 rat miners involved in tunnel rescue

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 9 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday honoured 12 rat-hole miners and two of their leaders who helped rescue 41 trapped workers from the Silkyara Tunnel.
The SP chief felicitated the rat-hole miners with a cheque of Rs 1 lakh each and a shawl.
"I congratulate these colleagues of mine. The people trapped there faced a lot of trouble. The rescue work lasted for 17 days. I want to say that those who save the lives of others are priceless. These people do not fear about their lives and help others selflessly," the Samajwadi Party chief said.
When asked about the INDIA bloc, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Samajwadi Party's aim has been to fight the BJP. Whenever we've allied with any party, we've come together with respect."
When heavy machinery broke down in an effort to drill through the debris that had trapped 41 workers in the Silkyara tunnel, the rescuers resorted to rat-hole mining, a banned practice in the country.
Rat hole mining involves digging very small tunnels, through which skilled workers enter and extract coal or debris.
Rat mining rescue team leader Vakeel Hasan, while recounting his memories of the moment when the team of miners saw the workers, said that it was like offering water to a person who is about to die of thirst.
"It was a very emotional feeling when we saw them and they saw us. It was like a person getting some water on a deserted land. It was like everyone accomplished their purposes. We fulfilled the commitment that we made... All the workers came out of the tunnel without a scratch" Hassan told ANI after the successful rescue.
The rat-mining method has faced severe criticism due to its hazardous working conditions and numerous accidents leading to injuries and fatalities. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the practise in 2014 and retained the ban in 2015. (ANI)