PURI: After 17 days of tense anticipation, relief and happiness swept the nation on receiving news of 41 trapped workers successful rescue from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi on Tuesday evening. Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a sand art at Puri beach to salute the efforts of rescue team.
He created a 5ft sand sculpture showing a tunnel where workers are trapped with a message “Salute to Our Rescue Team.”
Sharing his feeling, Sudarsan Pattnaik told ANI,”This is art is to salute our rescue team those worked day and night to save 41 lives trapped in Silkyara tunnel. Thanks to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami for their endless efforts on this.”
Few days ago, Sudarsan dedicated his art to the safety and rescue of the workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel at Uttarkashi with the message “Let the light of prayers take away the darkness.” Pattnaik created a 5ft sand sculpture showing a tunnel where workers are trapped. He has used about 4 tons of sand in it. Students of his sand art institute joined hands with him to complete the sculpture on Tuesday.
“We are praying to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to take away the darkness and rescue the workers safely”, Sudarsan had. Padma-awarded artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has participated in more than 65 International sand art competitions and festivals around the world and won many prizes for the country. He always tries to spread awareness message through his sand sculpture. He created awareness sculptures for HIV/AIDS, saving the environment, plastic pollution, global warming and against terrorism etc.
On Tuesday 41 workers were successfully evacuated from the Silkyara Tunnel collapse site. The rescued workers were draped in orange marigold flower garlands and were greeted by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister VK Singh. Of the 41 men, 15 are from Jharkhand, two are from Uttarakhand, five are from Bihar, three are from West Bengal, eight are from Uttar Pradesh, five are from Odisha, two are from Assam, and one is from Himachal Pradesh.
Following the safe evacuation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the courage and patience of the trapped workers and their families and the bravery and determination of the rescue personnel.
PM Modi further said that everyone involved in this mission has set an example of humanity and teamwork. (ANI)