of the tunnel area, where the focus of the tunnel area, where the focus of the tunnel area, where the focus of the operation has been. you cannot see the exact area where, finally, those hand drillers managed to actually get through the debris, pushed through just to actually get through the debris, pushed throughjust a to actually get through the debris, pushed through just a small pipe, and that was the pipe that was actually used to bring out on stretchers, one by one, the men. let me show you some of the pictures from some of the moments after the men got out. the chief minister there welcoming, one by one, as the men came out. some beaming smiles, some looking shell—shocked after what they had been through. there is one of the huge smiles, but it has been such a desperate rescue operation at times, with huge setbacks and, as the days stretched out, for the families it was absolutely agonising. but of course, there was good news along the way because they did manage to get pipes down to the larger area where the men were holed up, and that meant they could pump oxygen down, they could get food down, water down, even communications. those men were able to make phone calls stopped look at the relief of those faces. they could make phone calls with family members and talk to them. and, of course, be told that rescue teams were getting ever closer. there is some of the pictures in the immediate moments. you can see some of the clapping by those people there. but back to a live shot, and as our correspondence were taken through, the men were being medically assessed immediately after they came out, they are now at medical assessment centres, later on they will be taken to hospitals nearby. they will be taken to hospitals nearby. let's get more on this from our south asia regional editor anbarasan ethirajan. he has been monitoring everything we have been seeing over last couple of hours. the last couple of hours, huge success after multiple failures. it huge success after multiple failures. , ., , ., ., failures. it is great news for all of those involved, _ failures. it is great news for all of those involved, the - failures. it is great news for all| of those involved, the workers, families and the rescue teams, and the whole country. this is one story that can travel across the borders. this is a story about human endurance and human effort to rescue these people against nature, against these people against nature, against the elements. it is a big success story for all of those involved in this particular rescue process for the last 17 days. this particular story had so many twists and turns, because of repeated machine breakdowns, and the weather changing, and they were facing all kinds of challenges and reaching the people itself was a huge challenge. various agencies were co—ordinated, and you can see 41 workers are now finally out of this tunnel through this pipe, where they were stretchered out. it has brought much relief and happiness for all of those involved in this entire process. the whole country celebrates now, these 41 workers being rescued. it is one of those very few stories where you have this positive ending, despite knowing that they are fighting against a huge national challenge of 60 metres of debris. anything could have gone wrong at any point of time. for example, when they decided to do this vertical drilling from the top of the tunnel after the machines broke down, there were concerns. you have to go through nearly 90 metres, that could mean some water source or some sort of spring coming out and that would flood the tunnel. that kind of fear was always there for people, whether it can also lead to another landslide. among all those challenges and difficulties, these workers have been rescued. it is also a sign of remarkable resilience and endurance and how these 41 workers kept themselves busy or occupied, without losing hope, without having any breakdowns, and all they wanted was to come out alive and sealable once. that has happened. at bringsjoy alive and sealable once. that has happened. at brings joy and happiness. it was more like a celebratory atmosphere outside the tunnel, where there was a small temple and people were shouting in jov- temple and people were shouting in joy. it is a very welcome event for all those concerned.— all those concerned. briefly, you touched upon — all those concerned. briefly, you touched upon it. _ all those concerned. briefly, you touched upon it. they _ all those concerned. briefly, you touched upon it. they tried - all those concerned. briefly, you touched upon it. they tried so i all those concerned. briefly, you . touched upon it. they tried so many different tactics, but in the end, it was simply done manually. those final metres were done by hand, won't make? and we saw a little earlier one of the groups of workers go through the shots on screen punching pierre, because it was such a success when the use that tactic. i can imagine, —— punching the air. when they had this breakthrough, when they could break the debris and go to the other side, i can imagine the happiness and relief for the guy doing it. and also for the workers. after the machines broke down, for huge ones, the blades got stuck in the debris, they had to use the rat hole miners, the hand drills, to go through the last ten metres. it was challenging, difficult, but they ended up using this technique to get through the final metres and that made a lot of difference in terms of reaching out. people were expecting at least two to three days more by using these manual drilling, but finally they were able to do it and that made a big difference. anbarasan, thank you once again. we will talk again in the coming minutes as we stay with the pictures. all of this in the aftermath of those 41 actually getting out. it was quite quick in the end once they had established contact, once they had the tunnel in place, had the stretchers working, one by one they got them out quite quickly after 17 days. you can see the relief as they are going past all those officials and groups of rescue workers, but ultimately to the ambulances before being whisked away. let's continue to watch these pictures and speak to the professor of labour practice and an expert on the indian labour market. thank you for being here with us. your headline thought. i suppose let's reflect on the joy first of all, because this is such a triumph given all of the adversity.— all of the adversity. yes, a day of ureat 'o all of the adversity. yes, a day of great joy and _ all of the adversity. yes, a day of great joy and relief— all of the adversity. yes, a day of great joy and relief for _ all of the adversity. yes, a day of great joy and relief for us - all of the adversity. yes, a day of great joy and relief for us in - great joy and relief for us in india — great 'oy and relief for us in india. ., ., ., ,., india. tell me a little more about the industry _ india. tell me a little more about the industry we _ india. tell me a little more about the industry we are _ india. tell me a little more about the industry we are talking - india. tell me a little more about the industry we are talking about| the industry we are talking about and its history, and the sort of questions you think will be raised now once we get through this phase of the relief and joy. i am now once we get through this phase of the relief and joy.— of the relief and 'oy. i am very lad that of the relief and 'oy. i am very glad that this _ of the relief and joy. i am very glad that this incident - of the relief and joy. i am very glad that this incident has - of the relief and joy. i am very glad that this incident has a i of the relief and joy. i am very - glad that this incident has a good, happy— glad that this incident has a good, happy ending. i wish i could say the same _ happy ending. i wish i could say the same of— happy ending. i wish i could say the same of other related incidents in india _ same of other related incidents in india the — same of other related incidents in india. the construction fatality rate in — india. the construction fatality rate in india is alarmingly high. according — rate in india is alarmingly high. according to the report by the international labour organisation, construction worker fatality in india — construction worker fatality in india is— construction worker fatality in india is the highest worldwide. given— india is the highest worldwide. given the _ india is the highest worldwide. given the rate at which construction is increasing — given the rate at which construction is increasing both residentially and commercially, these kinds of accidents are more likely to happen. this raises— accidents are more likely to happen. this raises important questions on what _ this raises important questions on what went— this raises important questions on what went wrong and what can we do to make _ what went wrong and what can we do to make sure to make sure that these kind of— to make sure to make sure that these kind of incidents do not make happen again _ kind of incidents do not make happen again i_ kind of incidents do not make happen again. i believe there are several factors— again. i believe there are several factors in— again. i believe there are several factors in the industry that make the construction worker a targeted population whose efforts are devalued in the larger ecosystem of the indian _ devalued in the larger ecosystem of the indian construction industry. there _ the indian construction industry. there is— the indian construction industry. there is also a need for increased safety _ there is also a need for increased safety equipment as well as safety education for the construction workers _ education for the construction workers. what can we do to make sure they are _ workers. what can we do to make sure they are better educated, better prepared, and what kind of technology can we use to ensure these _ technology can we use to ensure these kinds of traumatic incidents do not _ these kinds of traumatic incidents do not occur as frequently as they do not occur as frequently as they do now? — do not occur as frequently as they do now? it— do not occur as frequently as they do now? it is an important question and they— do now? it is an important question and they need to be answered. yes, and they need to be answered. yes, and a lont and they need to be answered. yes, and a long list. _ and they need to be answered. yes, and a long list, as _ and they need to be answered. yes, and a long list, as you _ and they need to be answered. yes and a long list, as you describe this vulnerable group, but they have been asked for year upon year, decade upon decade, do you realistically think there is any likelihood of change? it is realistically think there is any likelihood of change?- likelihood of change? it is an interesting — likelihood of change? it is an interesting question. - likelihood of change? it is an interesting question. there l likelihood of change? it is an l interesting question. there are likelihood of change? it is an - interesting question. there are two sides— interesting question. there are two sides to _ interesting question. there are two sides to this issue. on the one hand. — sides to this issue. on the one hand. the _ sides to this issue. on the one hand, the government has put in place _ hand, the government has put in place several regulations to help them _ place several regulations to help them ensure that they get the minimum grade and make sure they have basic— minimum grade and make sure they have basic social security life protection. that said, on the other hand, _ protection. that said, on the other hand. there — protection. that said, on the other hand, there is a need for us to strengthen— hand, there is a need for us to strengthen our implementation framework, to make sure these laws are being _ framework, to make sure these laws are being implemented in the way that they— are being implemented in the way that they need to be. the fact that most _ that they need to be. the fact that most of— that they need to be. the fact that most of the construction worker population in india and prices of migrant— population in india and prices of migrant labourers, the profile is typical— migrant labourers, the profile is typical of— migrant labourers, the profile is typical of all the people that were 'ust typical of all the people that were just rescued, in the late 205, male and ju5t rescued, in the late 205, male and illiterate. people that are always — and illiterate. people that are always on the go. for this kind of population. — always on the go. for this kind of population, their association with an employer, they work primarily in the informal sector... that means the informal 5ector... that means they— the informal 5ector... that means they do— the informal 5ector... that means they do not— the informal sector... that means they do not necessarily have a written — they do not necessarily have a written contract. because of that, they say— written contract. because of that, they say automatically —— they automatically beat them to become legible _ automatically beat them to become legible for law5 automatically beat them to become legible for laws that protect them. add that _ legible for laws that protect them. add that to the illiteracy and the difficulty— add that to the illiteracy and the difficulty in making them understand what they— difficulty in making them understand what they need to know for their own safety _ what they need to know for their own safety and _ what they need to know for their own safety and security. these factors come _ safety and security. these factors come together to make sure that they are the _ come together to make sure that they are the targeted population within the construction sector. is anything likeiy— the construction sector. is anything likeiy to _ the construction sector. is anything likely to change? yes, it can change with the _ likely to change? yes, it can change with the right kind of education and implementation framework put in place _ implementation framework put in place by— implementation framework put in place by the government. we implementation framework put in place by the government.- implementation framework put in place by the government. we will see if that happens. _ place by the government. we will see if that happens, but _ place by the government. we will see if that happens, but in _ place by the government. we will see if that happens, but in terms - place by the government. we will see if that happens, but in terms of- if that happens, but in terms of this phrase, for those not familiar with it, rat mining, because that is illegal. how common is that practice still? rat illegal. how common is that practice still? ., illegal. how common is that practice still? . ., , , ., ., still? rat mining has been outlawed since 2015. but — still? rat mining has been outlawed since 2015. but it _ still? rat mining has been outlawed since 2015. but it is _ still? rat mining has been outlawed since 2015. but it is still _ still? rat mining has been outlawed since 2015. but it is still quite - since 2015. but it is still quite commonly used, especially in the coal mines — commonly used, especially in the coal mines. it is because the structure _ coal mines. it is because the structure of the coal mines is such that sometimes narrow tunnels have to he _ that sometimes narrow tunnels have to be dug _ that sometimes narrow tunnels have to be dug through them and the tunnels— to be dug through them and the tunnels are called rat holes because they are _ tunnels are called rat holes because they are just big enough for one huntan— they are just big enough for one human being to enter. a person enters— human being to enter. a person enters the — human being to enter. a person enters the tunnel, brings out the coal enters the tunnel, brings out the coat and — enters the tunnel, brings out the coal and enters transported outside the ropes _ coal and enters transported outside the ropes and ladders. it is an extremely— the ropes and ladders. it is an extremely hazardous practice because these mines are notorious for their instability — these mines are notorious for their instability. the air inside it is extremely dangerous to inhale and all the _ extremely dangerous to inhale and all the environmental damage that this kind _ all the environmental damage that this kind of coal creates is another issue _ this kind of coal creates is another issue that— this kind of coal creates is another issue. that said, this practice continues— issue. that said, this practice continues to be rampant and although it is outlawed, i am pleased it is this practice that got these people out in _ this practice that got these people out in the — this practice that got these people out in the end. that this practice that got these people out in the end.— out in the end. that is what got them through _ out in the end. that is what got them through the _ out in the end. that is what got them through the final - out in the end. that is what got them through the final few- out in the end. that is what got. them through the final few metres out in the end. that is what got - them through the final few metres in them through the final few metres in the end. we have to leave it, but thank you so much forjoining us on the programme. thank you for your time. let's stay with these pictures and talk. your reaction to what we have seen playing out over the last problem hours?— have seen playing out over the last problem hours? absolute 'oy, great relief. imagine, * problem hours? absolute 'oy, great relief. imagine, these _ problem hours? absolute 'oy, great relief. imagine, these 41_ problem hours? absolute joy, great relief. imagine, these 41 workers i relief. imagine, these 41 workers were trapped inside that whole full 17 long days, and when they came out, ijust spoke 17 long days, and when they came out, i just spoke to a 17 long days, and when they came out, ijust spoke to a reporter there who is present on the site of this accident, and he told me that the labourers who came out of that collapsed tunnel, they are happy, they are healthy, they are being taken to local hospitals, about 35 kilometres away from the site, and for government, the authorities have created a green road, green corridor. so no traffic is allowed between this site and the hospital, they are being taken there and they are facing —— they are said to be hardy. i need to talk about the developmental model which is being practised in that area. the typography of the area is the himalayas, they are very young mountains. to the north is tibet, to the east is napalm. the government has a very ambitious plan of connecting four hindu temples by all—weather roads. so in winter, this entire area is covered in snow, but the government says that we have to make, construct roads so that people can go to these temples throughout the year, even during the winter, summer any time. in order to construct these roads, they are drilling tunnels, holes inside the mountains. this has been warned against, and these are fragile mountains. so the government has come under heavy criticism also, but at the moment, let's rejoice at this moment, it is a huge success and a great relief. it this moment, it is a huge success and a great relief.— and a great relief. it really is, but ultimately, _ and a great relief. it really is, but ultimately, you _ and a great relief. it really is, but ultimately, you are - and a great relief. it really is, i but ultimately, you are probably right, that some of those questions you are raising will come in the end, be questions that need to