New Delhi, Feb 16 : NTPC has started releasing compensation to the families of Uttarakhand workers who lost their lives in the floods that hit the state on February 7. The first cheque of Rs 20 lakh was handed over to Vimala Devi, wife of late Narendra Ji of Tapovan Vihar on February 15. A team from NTPC led by R.P. Ahirwar, Head of Tapovan Project, visited Vimala Devi at her house on Monday. While Tapovan team has accelerated completion of all modalities to fast-track distribution of compensation, the company has decided to hand over compensation from its end to the families of its deceased workers as per ex-gratia list released by the state government. Meanwhile, rescue operation at the site is in full swing for the ninth consecutive day with extensive coordinated work being carried out by multiple agencies including NTPC to reach those trapped in the tunnel. While dedicated teams from NTPC are managing the entire rescue operation behind the scene by assisting the rescue teams, the company airlifted machineries including high-end submersible slush removal pumps to fast-track the operation. NTPC has said that the Tapovan project stood like a rock against the tsunami-like flood and bore the brunt of nature's fury. In the process, the barrage of the project saved many villages downstream from being swept away. NTPC has also set up a workforce at the Tapovan site to coordinate with the administration and gather all required information about every missing worker. All required machineries for the rescue operation are currently available while requirement for any additional resources is being met on a war footing. Real-time information is being shared with the agencies involved in the exercise to expedite the rescue process. /IANS