Waking from a deep slumber after a six-year-old Hrtihik lost his life after falling into an open borewell in Hoshiarpur, Punjab Government has ordered the closure and plugging of all borewells lying open in the state.
For the same, the State’s Water Resources and Mining Department has written to all the Deputy Commissioners asking them to ensure plugging of all open borewells.
The directions have been issued to various departments, and also to the panchayats to ensure that there was no open borewell in their areas of jurisdiction.
In the letter, the Government has given the reference of the Supreme Court’s order regarding the closure of borewells, stating that on August 6, 2010, the Apex Court had ordered that the borewells, that were left open, contaminate the underground water, and thus must be filled and closed properly.
The Deputy Commissioners have also been asked to launch a campaign to make the farmers and general public aware to ensure the plugging of the open borewells. The letter also asked the districts’ administrative heads to ask the farmers, and general public to plug the open borewells in their area or the place owned by them. Every concerned department should identify such borewells in their area, it added.
In addition, the Department has also instructed that in case a farmer approaches the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to apply for a meter for a new borewell, it should be ensured that the old borewell should be closed before giving the new one. For this, Junior Engineer should be assigned the duty. In addition, both the SDM and DSP should visit their areas of jurisdiction and identify open borewells, it added.
The government has also sought help from the panchayats in plugging the open borewells. The letter stated all panchayats should pass a resolution that there is no open borewell in their areas. The Panchayat Secretary can contact the numberdars to plug the borewells lying open in the villages.
Apart from this, the municipal corporation body can also take suggestions about the same by interacting with the councillors and find out the solution.
HRITHIK WAS NOT THE FIRST CASUALTY
In an unfortunate incident, six-year-old Hrithik on Sunday fell into an open borewell while trying to escape from the stray dogs. After the eight-hour-long rescue operation, Hrithik was pulled out, but was declared dead when taken to the hospital.
Hrithik was not the first casualty in Punjab of the Government’s apathetic attitude to check the open borewells, which are the open death traps. The incident took us back to 2019 when two-year-old Fatehveer Singh died after falling into a 150 feet deep borewell.
Though the State Government had then issued directions to plug all open borewells and also launched a campaign to ensure that no open borewell is left, the State Government is unaware of the exact number of borewells in the state — whether lying open and abandoned, or in working condition — in the absence of any record.