Deputy Commissioner orders immediate inspection, sealing of open and abandoned borewells across distric
Deputy Commissioner orders immediate inspection, sealing of open and abandoned borewells across district
Survey to be completed within next seven days
Says no open borewell to be left unattended or uncovered under any circumstances
Directs Borewell owners to cover and secure borewell properly at all times
Penal action to be initiated in case of any failure
HOSHIARPUR/ MAY 16/Daljeet Ajnoha
In the aftermath of previous days unfortunate incident of a child fell into a borewell at village Chak Samana, Deputy Commissioner on Saturday issued a detailed instructions to all line departments for immediate inspection and sealing of open and abandoned borewells across the district. The survey would be accomplished within next seven days.
The orders stipulated that the open and abandoned borewells poses a grave risk to human life especially the children. As per the orders all the Sib Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Tehsildars, Block Development Officers (BDOs), Municipal Councils, Municipal Committees, and Nagar Panchayats would immediately conduct a comprehensive survey of all open, uncovered, and abandoned borewells in their respective jurisdictions including rural and urban areas.
The orders issued under under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Punjab Land Preservation Act mentioned detailed directions to be complied with immediate effect. Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain giving details said that all the open and abandoned borewells identified during the survey would be sealed/covered immediately. She pointed out that no open borewell would be left unattended or uncovered under any circumstances, whether located in agricultural land, residential colonies, industrial areas, vacant plots, or public spaces.
Directing concerned agencies to adhere the instructions in letter and spirit, Deputy Commissioner said that the line departments and agencies would given foremost priority to ensure meticulous compliance. In rural areas all SDMs and Tehsildars would be the field coordinators to ensure compliance while the Punjab Water Supply & Sanitation officials would identify the defunct/abandoned borewells whereas Agriculture Department officials would carry out a survey of borewells in agricultural fields. Similarly, the Panchayati Raj Department / BDOs would ensure village level survey vis-a-vis sealing of any open or abandon borewells, if any. All Sarpanches and Gram Panchayats would also identify such spots immediately besides further reporting to concerned officials.
Likewise, in Urban Areas Municipal Corporation and Councils would directed to conduct survey of all borewells within municipal limits. Deputy Commissioner mentioned that all Municipal Committees and Nagar Panchayats had been tasked to identify such spots immediately. She said that Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) would carry out a survey in urban estates and development areas whereas Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board (PWSSB) would identify defunct urban borewells. As per the orders, the Industrial establishments within urban areas will self-report and sealing of borewells in their premises.
The Deputy Commissioner pointed out that Punjab Police would extend fulsome support in enforcement and compliance across rural as well as urban areas.
Directing the borewells owners, Aashika Jain said that all the private borewell owners, farmers, institutions, housing societies, and industrial units both in rural or urban areas would ensure that their borewells are properly covered and secured at all times. She said the failure in this regard would invite action under applicable laws. She said that all the SDMs, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Committees would submit a compliance report to this office within 07 days, specifying that the total number of borewells surveyed (rural and urban separately), number of open/abandoned borewells found, number of sealed/covered besides pending cases with reasons.
Any person, agency, or department found negligent in compliance with this order would be liable to penal action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other applicable laws, orders stipulates.
Pertinently, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have issued guidelines making it mandatory to cover and seal all open borewells.
