Worker goes missing in hydroelectricity project’s tunnel

SOLUKHUMBU: A worker has gone missing in an accident inside the tunnel of the under-construction 86-Megawatt Solukhola Dudhkoshi Hydroelectricity Project in the district.

The worker is missing after the ‘bucket’ snapped while going through the tunnel at Panchan area, Hanthulung Dudhkoshi Rural Municipality-3 today, while another worker has been rescued in injured condition, police said.

The missing worker is identified as 24-year-old Rakesh Chaudhary of Kolabhi Municipality-1, Bara district, according to Rishi Raj Dhakal, Inspector of Police at the District Police Office Solukhumbu, who reached the incident site.

Inspector Dhakal said the injured worker, 20-year-old Angat Raya Tharu of Paterawa Rural Municipality-4, Parsa district, has been rescued and sent by an ambulance to the Mission Hospital Okhaldhunga for treatment.

Police said the accident occurred at around 4-5 pm when the bucket carrying four labourers along with equipment snapped while passing through the tunnel to install the penstock pipe. The condition of the two remaining workers is said to be normal.

Although a search is on for the missing labourer, it is being hampered due to the other construction materials inside the tunnel, police said. The Project said it used to transport the construction materials and people inside the tunnel using the bucket operated by machine.RSS