Guidelines for borewells modified to check accidents

Authorities should be informed 15 days before construction of any borewell or tubewell and such constructions should be cordoned off with barbed fencing, the Supreme Court has said in its modified guidelines to check fatal accidents involving small children.
According to a statement issued by the Women and Child Development Ministry, the guidelines suggest construction of a concrete platform measuring 0.50x0.50x0.60 meter (0.30 meter above ground level and 0.30 meter below ground level) around the well casing.
A signboard has to be erected at the time of construction bearing the complete address of the drilling agency at the time of construction, complete address of the user agency or owner of the well, the statement said.

In case of pump repair, the tubewell should not be left uncovered and mud pits should be filled up after completion of works and abandoned bore wells should also be filled up with clay, sand, boulder, pebbles, drill cuttings etc from bottom to ground level, it said.
On completion of the drilling operations at a particular location, the ground conditions are to be restored as before the start of drilling, it said.
The District Collector would be empowered to verify that these guidelines are being followed and check that bore holes or tubewells are being maintained through the concerned state or central government agencies, it said.

The district or block or village wise status of borewells or tubewells drilled, those in use, number of abandoned borewells or tubewells found open, number of abandoned borewells or tubewells properly filled up to ground level and balance number of abandoned borewells or tubewells to be filled up to ground level is to be maintained at district level, it said.
In rural areas, the monitoring of is to be done through village sarpanch and the executive from the agriculture department, the statement said.
In urban areas, the monitoring will be done by junior engineer (JE) and the executive from the concerned department of ground water, public health or municipal corporation, it said.