DEHRADUN: Anger is mounting among civil society groups and families of workers killed in the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydropower project tunnel disaster in Chamoli over THDC India Limited’s decision to provide just ₹5 lakh ex gratia to the next of kin of each deceased worker.
Seven workers were killed and three remained missing after the tunnel accident at the THDC project on August 13.
The project’s estimated cost has risen to more than ₹6,800 crore, prompting questions over whether such a small compensation adequately reflects the value of workers’ lives lost while executing a major public infrastructure project.
Victims’ families and civil society representatives have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal and Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene and direct THDC to substantially enhance the compensation.
They have demanded at least ₹1 crore for the family of every deceased worker, besides long-term financial assistance, educational support for children and employment assistance to eligible family members.
The families have also questioned the distinction being drawn between THDC and the contractor through whom the workers were reportedly engaged.
While the workers were associated with project contractor Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), civil society groups argue that the responsibility for ensuring safe working conditions cannot be completely separated from the project-owning company.
The issue has gained further traction after THDC announced on August 15 that ₹5 lakh would be paid to the next of kin of every deceased worker and ₹1 lakh to each injured worker.
Critics say the compensation appears disproportionately low when viewed against the enormous financial scale of the project.
The demand has therefore shifted from merely seeking immediate relief to asking THDC and the Union Government to establish a more humane and standardised compensation framework for workers killed in high-risk infrastructure projects.
Civil society groups have also appealed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take up the matter with the Centre and THDC and ensure that the affected families receive meaningful long-term support rather than a one-time token payment.
The tragedy has once again brought the safety of workers engaged in tunnels, hydropower projects and other high-risk construction sites into sharp focus.
For the bereaved families, the immediate question is simple: Can the life of a worker lost in a ₹6,800-crore project really be valued at just ₹5 lakh?
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