Quite disappointing
Uttarkashi tunnel rescue | ‘Don’t worry, Ma, I am fine’: After days of silence, phone finally rings
When 18-year-old Jaidev Pramanik saw his mother, Tapati, on a video call for the first time in 17 days on Wednesday, he was met by a few seconds of silence. His mother seemed to be in disbelief.
“Maa are you fine? Don’t worry, I am completely fine,” he told her. It was only then that she ate for the first time that day — some water and a sweet.
Pramanik, one of the 41 workers rescued from the collapsed Uttarkashi tunnel on Tuesday night, had left his home in Bengal’s Hooghly district in search of work. His uncle, Tarun Kumar Pramanik, said: “My brother runs a tea shop in a rural area, not something that guarantees a proper income. So Jaidev with the help of family members went out after taking basic training to work out of Bengal. We never thought something of this nature would happen to him. He is safe, and since this morning, we have spoken to him several times.”
Three people from West Bengal were trapped in the Uttarkashi tunnel. The other two were Souvik Pakhira, a resident of Hooghly district’s Pursurah, and Manik Talukdar, 51, from Cooch Behar district’s Tufanganj town.
Souvik’s mother, Lokhi, said: “I felt he has become thinner… but after 17 days, today finally I am at peace. My energy has drained. I just want to sleep.”
According to Souvik’s family members, he passed a polytechnic exam but couldn’t find a job in the state.
“I am not in any hurry. Let him stay for sometime in peace there. If he comes now, everyone will surround him. He needs rest. I want him to be mentally and physically healthy,” said Lokhi, 44.
Talukdar’s wife Soma, meanwhile, received a phone call on Tuesday evening. “He told me he is fine. I will never send him to work on such a site again,” said Soma.
In the neighbouring state of Odisha, Satyaban Bhatra could not hold back tears when he spoke about his first phone conversation with his younger brother Bhagban, moments after he was rescued.
“The first thing he said was that he has got a re-birth. He said he is fine and asked about the others in the family,” Satyaban said.
Bhagban had been engaged in the tunnel construction for the past 18 months. He had gone to Uttarkashi along with five of his distant relatives.
Another worker from Odisha was 21-year-old Tapan Mandal, a resident of Sanakrushnapur village in Bhadrak district. His family members said he seemed to be in shock.
Tapan’s mother Gauribala said he was upset and did not talk much. “I told him to be strong and not to get depressed. I told how proud the entire family is for his courage at this young age. We will celebrate his return,” she said.
Sukanti Nayak of Kuldiha village in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district said her son narrated how they survived the first 24 hours inside the collapsed tunnel. She said she told her son that she would not let him engage in this line of work again. “His father and I told him not to be worried about earning. We will arrange everything here in our village to help him earn a livelihood,” Sukanti said.
This was a feeling echoed in Uttar Pradesh too by the family of 24-year-old Manjeet Chauhan. Manjeet, from Lakhimpur Kheri’s Nighasan area, had gone to Uttarkashi for work last month.
“Our older son, Deepu, died in Mumbai last year. Manjeet is now our only child and earning member of the family. I have decided not to send Manjeet to Uttarkashi again for work. These 17 days were like 17 years. Manjeet broke down while speaking to me and promised not to return,” said his mother, Chaudharyian, 46.
Besides Manjeet, six residents of Motipur village in Shravasti — Ram Milan (41), Satya Dev (46), Ankit Kumar (22), Jai Prakash (23), Santosh Kumar (24) and Ram Sundar (27) — and one of Mirzapur, Akhilesh Kumar, were rescued from the tunnel Tuesday.
Satya Dev’s younger brother Virendra Rana said: “We spoke to him for the first time after rescue on Wednesday morning. He said he is undergoing a medical examination in the hospital and doctors are likely to discharge him in one or two days.”
Ram Milan’s son Sandeep said: “I was excited to hear my father’s voice, He promised me about celebrating Diwali on returning home.”
Ankit’s elder brother Vikram, who runs a small grocery store, said: “We fought among ourselves over who would talk to Ankit first.”
Ram Sunder’s wife Sheela Devi said: “He called a few hours after coming out of the tunnel and asked about everyone’s well being. I have started making preparations to celebrate Diwali once he returns home.”
Santosh’s cousin Pradeep said on Wednesday, “His mother started weeping in joy while he called this afternoon. We all are happy that Santosh is healthy and will return home soon.”
Sweety Kumari – 2023-11-30 07:20