The tragedy at the Teesta Stage-VI project in Sikkim already feels depressingly familiar — we fail to prioritise safety systems

The tunnel — part of NHPC’s 500 MW Teesta Stage-VI hydropower project, built by contractor Patel Engineering - caved in on July 20 after workers reportedly tried to vent a pocket of naturally occurring methane gas trapped in the rock. That attempt is suspected to have triggered an explosion, which set off a landslide, sealing the tunnel’s mouth. Of the 27 people inside, only two could escape.

Days on, NDRF, SDRF and mine-safety teams are still fighting low oxygen, carbon monoxide and blocked debris to reach those unaccounted for, as the confirmed toll keeps climbing. What makes this........

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