In what appears to be one of the longest rescue operations in Rajasthan, NDRF and SDRF teams are racing against time to rescue 3-year-old Chetna from a 150-foot deep borewell in Kotputli-Behror district. The operation entered the ninth day on Tuesday. As per the NDRF officials, the rescue operation is suffering due to the layers of sedimentary rock that hampered the drilling work.
Chetna fell into the borewell on December 23
Till Monday, both NDRF and SDRF rescue teams were hopeful of completing the operation and reaching the girl but rocks caused the hurdles. "Digging eight feet of soil is not a big deal. But we cannot effect a blast if there is a stone. Due to the hard rock, we are facing difficulty in drilling. The work has not stopped for a minute ever since it started," NDRF team in-charge Yogesh Meena told reporter today.
Chetna fell into the borewell on December 23 while playing in her father's farm.
District Collector Kalpana Agarwal met the girl's family on Monday and explained the problems being faced in the rescue operation. She told them that experts are being roped in to help in the rescue efforts, but since it is a very complicated operation, it is taking longer time.
Family blamed administration for negligence
Chetna's family accused the district administration of being negligent. On Saturday, a video of a Chetna's mother Dholi Devi surfaced in which she could be seen pleading with folded hands to rescue her daughter. "It's been six days. My daughter is hungry and thirsty. What if she were collector madam's child? Would she let her be there for so long? Please get my daughter out as soon as possible," she said anxiously.
Rain and rocks are delaying the rescue operation
The rescue teams are digging a parallel tunnel but rain and other conditions are delaying the process. Calling it the toughest rescue operation in the state, District Collector Kalpana Agarwal on Monday said, "There is a rock-solid strata. Rain also posed a challenge. Teams are making continuous efforts to dig a parallel tunnel.
About 6.5 feet of tunnel is pending to reach the girl.
NDRF team in-charge Yogesh Kumar Meena told reporters that the rescue operation is going on continuously. The rock is hard and cutting it is becoming a challenge for the team.
He said the drilling is going on in the right direction and it is expected to complete the operation by Monday. A three-member team is working at a time to cut the rock.
(With PTI inputs)
