Gangtok, July 24 -- The public sector undertaking NHPC has expressed deep grief over the Sikkim tragedy and extended its condolences to the bereaved families, assuring them of all possible support.
NHPC has announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each of the 25 workers who died in the explosion inside the under-construction Head Race Tunnel (HRT) of the Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project in Sikkim.
The rescue operation at the tunnel concluded with the recovery of the bodies of all 25 trapped personnel.
The incident occurred at around 1:05 p.m. on July 20 when a suspected methane gas pocket trapped inside the rock strata reportedly burst, triggering an explosion that filled the tunnel with dense fumes and toxic gases....