Even as the death of a four-year-old girl, Mahi, who was trapped for 86 hours in a borewell in Gurgaon has shaken the collective conscience, such tragedies in the State are unlikely, given that the average diameter of borewells is too small for any child to fall through.
Officials who supervise digging of borewells for public water supply system say that on an average the diameter of the wells is barely six inches. Normally, in a hard rock terrain, the work is completed in eight to 10 hours. Even in the case of sedimentary formation where the duration of work goes on for 15-20 days, the site is under constant vigil and usually, it is about a km from any habitation.
Given the trend of declining groundwater table in cities and towns, the borewell phenomenon is restricted to rural areas, the officials add.
Borewells in and around Chennai have a maximum diameter of 4–6 inches. They have casing pipes that jut at least 2 feet above the ground level. Following an incident in north Chennai many years ago, when a child fell into a borewell located on a street, the State government passed an order, directing closure of disused borewells. Since then, there were no reports of any mishap.
Borewell agencies say pipe casings are sunk immediately on drilling the holes, which are never left open. In failed cases, the holes are closed immediately with gravel and sand.
However, experience has shown that even the most unlikely event cannot be ruled out. About three months ago in Madurai 10 persons, including women and children, were killed when a passenger van fell into a deep open well near Thirumangalam. Jolted into action, the district administration and the police department launched a joint survey to identify open wells and ordered the construction of barrier walls or closure of dysfunctional ones. Also, the practice of rig operators orally informing the authorities in advance about their plans is no longer in vogue, an engineer of Tiruchi Corporation points out. Deputy Director (Fire and Rescue Services Department, Southern Region, Madurai) M. Shahul Hameed suggests preventive steps, such as cautioning parents to be vigilant whenever a borewell is being dug in their neighbourhood. Borewell operators or contractors should also ensure that the area is adequately kept guarded round the clock till the works are completed. The borewell should be temporarily covered as a protective measure, as strangers may be unaware while crossing the point.
L. Elango, professor, department of Geology, Anna University, says that not just borewells, there is a need to ensure that large open wells in agricultural areas have parapet walls.
Keywords: borewell norms, public safety
I remember as a child watching a borewell machine boring a well in my village. They did the work for around 7-10 days. We were watching because we watched such a big machine for the first time. But I remember when they did not succeed in getting water there they closed the well head, capped it and put everything under the the earth. How is north India still people do this things and parents callousness in leaving kids out where this kind of dangers lurk.
All well that ends well. Is there any uniform SOP issued to the borewell diggers by the government dept admoinistering Industrial safety issues? Are the res[ective municipal and corporatoion commissioners enforce suchg saftey SOPs through their engineers? I haven seen manybore wells being dug when I was in Erode but I have never seen one municipal authority inspecting and certifying the borewell on safety before the contractor leaves the site. There might have been some fizzy rules by the Tamilnadu government on this matter. But has such rules been subjected to safety audit by qualified safety officials and been certified of the norms? I am not sure if our governemnt secretaries know even such procedures exist. Their brians only do over time devising ways how to bribe whom to get their postings quicker and at hot spots and not in such social matters.
If,as per your report the average maximum diameter of the borewell hole is between 4 to 6 inches, it may be safe in the sense that a child cannot fall into it. But the practice in the north seems to be to go in for much larger size borewells. Even this may not be a problem if the contractors and others concerned close the same promptly if they fail.From the reports, it would appear that in the north, probably, most of the failed wells are abandoned and never closed or closed only when the fact is brought to the notice of the authorities.This is a criminal negligence on the part of the contractor who should be punished severely for an like culpable homicide. The authorities also should check immediately after the work is aborted due to failure and ensure that the hole is properly sealed. Accidents like children falling into these holes are 100 percent avoidable.
After two fatal incidents, the baby's death in Gurgoan and a boy's death at chennai, I feel there is also another deadly place near our locality. Its inside the Hansa Garden, Madambakkam. Although they say that is a waste water treatment plant, even adult too can't escape incase of any accident fall. Will the concerned authorities look in to it before any fatal accidents?
Constant vigilant and educating the public on this is necessary.I still remember that in the year 1965 or so a moffusal bus coming from salem to tiruchi fell in the open agricularal well in namakal and it killed more than 60 passengers. BHEL/tiruchi i remember had sent his riggers and crane to help in the rescue operation.As rightly pointed out, it is necessary in each district complete survey must be carried out on the open wells near highways and action taken to raise wall around well.Also as an additional safety measure iron railing on the highways near the well should be erected.
Thanks for article. However, looking at the picture you can see problem areas in regard to safety. Thongs instead of safety shoes, no hard hats to protect drilling crew from falling objects, no safety glasses to protect from dust. When the Indians will learn to value human life? Money is not everything, contractors must adopt latest safety practices, when drilling, as well.
Every State in India should adopt these precautionary measures. I Congratulate Tamil Nadu
Protection to people from falling into unprotected boreholes requires state or local law/regulations as is common here in California, USA. Person or parties performing boreholes must be required to protect them during and after the hole is drilled.Any injury to persons or property resulting from negligence in protecting the borehole should result in criminal and financial liabilities.
Tamil Nadu and most of the Southern States follow these rules very strictly and that is the reason we do not hear about Bore Well accidents as often as in North India. States such as Haryana, and places around Delhi are notorious in not following any rules, add to this the apathy of the political leaders such as Delhi government whose main job is to amass as much wealth as possible.
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