The search and rescue team, making effort to reach the trapped workers in Tapovan tunnel since the past 17 days, are approaching a crucial junction point.

The rescuers have cleared debris till 170 Mts inside the tunnel, by Monday, and are about 10 Mts away from reaching the ‘T-point’ from where small tunnels connect to the main one.

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According to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority the search and rescue team has cleared debris from 170 Mts patch inside the tunnel.

Right from the day the disaster hit the remote part of Chamoli, the team are making efforts to reach the trapped workers.

It was estimated that about 30-35 workers are stuck inside the tunnel. The effort was to reach the 180 Mts point, a junction of small tunnels. So far 14 bodies have been recovered from the tunnel.

Different agencies are involved in the search and rescue operation and so far they have recovered 70 bodies from different places.

Still 134 people remain missing. ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, IAF and Indian Navy are deployed in the operation. Relief operations are going on at war footing in the flash flood hit villages.

Ration kits are being provided to affected families. So far 555 families have received ration kits and many others were provided solar lights.

A high level meeting of government officials, related to the Chamoli disaster, took place in New Delhi on Monday.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla chaired the meeting to review the status of the artificial lake which has formed in the wake of the avalanche incident in the upper catchment of the Rishiganga River in Chamoli District.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash joined the meeting through video conference and informed that based on the physical assessment of the artificial lake made on site by multiple scientific agencies and satellite data, there is no imminent danger as the volume of water is less than expected and is flowing through a natural channel which has been widened.

The Union Home Secretary reviewed the action being taken to allow for more flow to the water and removal of some obstructions which have formed at the site of the artificial lake.