Tunnel Collapse: How Arnold Dix Helped Bring Back 41 Trapped Workers

A complete man always isn’t the one dressed in a well-cut tailored suit. The one who is truly complete is seen in his humble orange-coloured mining gear with a helmet, who pays obeisance to the mountain goddess requesting her, to let the 41 miners, whom he calls “children” trapped in the Uttarkashi mines come out safe. He is the poster man of the year 2023. He continued his work relentlessly with the team, to ensure the miners stayed fine while trapped inside, to get them out into safety. The man is Arnold Dix, an international tunnelling expert. He was roped in as a part of the rescue operation to evacuate the 41 trapped workers, inside the collapsed Silkyara tunnel.

As one watched his spiritual side of understanding that man is beyond the power of the mountain goddess. We are in awe at the humility of his acknowledgement and understanding of the powerlessness of man against nature. What is even endearing is that he recognises that the trapped young men are hardworking people, who want to earn a living for themselves and their families. 

The Unseen Reality Of Mining Industry In India

This sight of humanity is definitely extremely refreshing, considering what is going on in the world around us. 

Just to recap, the mining industry in India employs nearly 1.3 million workers. At one glance at the data of the Indian mining industry, which provides job opportunities to around 700,000 individuals, there is a very large number of workers. Also as of 2012 reports, our country is the largest producer of sheet mica. In 2015 we became the fourth largest producer of iron ore, alumina, chromite, and bauxite in the world. In coal and iron ore projects, we are the fifth largest reserve in the world. With such a large volume of the mining industry, the health of the workers and the calamities that they face, isnt discussed enough. 

Miners are mostly young men, whose lean bodies make them the perfect candidates, who can enter the tunnels easily. Out of them, many are minors. What we haven’t yet discussed enough is their health hazards and the aftereffects of this profession. As a result of mining, they face lifelong consequences to their health. 

It is time now for these companies who employ the young miners, to provide free medical aid for them. If one can garner the support of the government, making this mandatory, the lives of many miners can be saved from their constant suffering. The toxic particles created by mining operations cause hazardous pulmonary diseases like pneumoconiosis, silicosis, ARI, and many other respiratory disorders. 

Most of these young men have little understanding of what lies ahead in the job, they walk into it, due to poverty and lack of education. Often after the earnings, they spend their lives spending, the savings on diseases that become incurable or cause permanent damage. 

There have been many fatal accidents involving workers in mines. India cannot forget the Chasnala mining disaster that occurred on 27 December 1975, in a coal mine in Chasnala near Dhanbad, in the Indian state of Jharkhand. An explosion in the mine followed by flooding killed 375 of the miners. 

We are yet to discuss threadbare the issues and fatalities that labourers and miners face in our country. 

This evacuation of the Uttarakhand miners is a tremendous feat that has been accomplished by the team led by Arnold Dix. We need more believers in humanity like him, to take up issues faced by people who mostly remain unseen and unheard. 

Mohua Chinappa is an author and runs a successful podcast called The Mohua Show.

Views expressed are the author's own.