Jaipur, Dec 30 (IANS): Three-year-old Chetna remained trapped in the borewell in Rajasthan's Kotputli even as the rescue operations entered the eighth day on Monday.
Officials said the rescue teams have reached close to Chetna who was trapped in a 700-foot-deep borewell on December 23. The girl was trapped at a depth of approximately 170 ft. The officials overseeing the rescue operations expressed confidence that they would reach Chetna by noon.
By 6:30 a.m. on Monday, NDRF personnel had managed to dig about 7 feet of a tunnel, leaving only 1.5 feet of hard rock to drill through. However, the rock's hardness is significantly slowing progress, with only 2-4 inches being drilled per hour.
NDRF team member Mahavir Singh noted that as they dig deeper, the temperature inside the tunnel is rising, and the team is facing breathing difficulties due to dust. Despite these challenges, the personnel are proceeding with caution and focus.
The tunnel is being dug at a challenging angle with extremely hard rock, according to the drilling team. NDRF in-charge Yogesh Kumar Meena stated that experts have been called in to ensure the tunnel's accuracy. Engineers from Hindustan Zinc Limited (Ajmer, Bhilwara, and Khetri Mines) and local construction professionals have been consulted to verify the alignment of the borewell and the tunnel. Additionally, personnel from the Air Force and BSF have been involved to confirm the direction. All assessments so far indicate the drilling is on the correct path.
On December 23, around 2 p.m., Chetna fell into the borewell while playing. Despite multiple attempts using improvised methods, she was only raised by 30 feet.
Since the fall, Chetna has had no access to water, and there have been no signs of movement from her since the evening of December 24. Officials have also refrained from sharing camera visuals or updates about her condition in recent days.
The rescue operation continues, now entering its eighth day, as teams race against time to save Chetna.
Officials remain tight-lipped about Chetna's condition, who has been trapped for eight days. District Collector Kalpana Agarwal described this as Rajasthan's most challenging rescue operation. On December 28, Chetna's family and villagers criticised the administration for alleged negligence in handling the situation.