Rescue after tunnel accident: engineers trapped in southern India!

Rescue after tunnel accident: engineers trapped in southern India!

A dramatic situation has developed in the southern Indian state. Eight engineers and workers are missing after a tunnel collapse, leaving relatives very worried. According to local government officials, some workers who were working near a drilling machine were able to escape to safety, but those who remained appear to be stuck inside the tunnel. The tunnel's ventilation system is reportedly still working, meaning those trapped may be receiving oxygen. The national disaster management agency is already on site and is planning immediate rescue operations, but water must first be pumped out of the tunnel and debris removed before the rescue operation can begin. These incidents are not uncommon in India, as shown by the tragic 2023 case in which 41 workers were rescued from a collapsed tunnel in a long rescue operation Small newspaper reported so far.

Background on workers' and soldiers' councils

The situation also raises the question of how decision-makers are organized in crisis situations, such as the workers' and soldiers' councils that emerged in Germany at the end of the Empire. These councils were modeled on the Soviet organizations, where power was in the hands of the workers. The council system, also known as the council republic, aims to function without parties and separation of powers. Within this system, companies elect their representatives, who then represent the next higher level. Although the first Workers' and Soldiers' Council was founded in 1918, the councils decided against parliamentary democracy. This story is important for understanding how organization and power can emerge even in crisis situations. However, the influence of these councils was quickly minimized by the reaction of industry and the Freikorps Time clicks describes.