HC seeks report on claim of uncovered borewell in Chennai

Amid the focus on closure of all open borewells in Tamil Nadu in the aftermath of the tragic death of a two-year-old boy, a woman has approached the Madras High Court complaining that two borewells dug in her apartment complex here have not been sealed properly.

Justice G Jayachandran, before whom the petition seeking a direction to authorities to ensure proper closure of the borewells came up for hearing, directed the city Corporation Commissioner to make a field visit and submit a report to the court by November 15.

Sujit Wilson, who fell into a disused borewell at Manapparai near Tiruchirappalli on October 25, was pulled out dead by rescuers after a futile 80-hour struggle to save him.

As the incident brought focus on steps to put an end to recurrence of such tragedies, the Tamil Nadu government has instructed all district collectors to ensure all unused borewells were closed or be converted into rain water harvesting structures.

Petitioner G Jayasri, residing in the apartment complex having eight flats in Sembium area, said despite her family's objection citing space constraints and safety aspects, other residents went ahead with their plan and sank two borewells.

The borewells dug near the entrance of the apartment did not yield water and no steps were taken to properly close them, she alleged adding some plywood and stones had been used to cover them.

She apprehended danger to her three-year-old child because of the borewells.

Since the petitioner had raised objections, her neighbours lodged a police complaint against her and her husband, stating that they were preventing them from digging the borewells, she submitted.

The petitioner said she had also given a complaint to the authorities concerned for filling up the borewells with sand and seal the mouth with concrete slabs but it was all in vain.

Hence, she sought a direction from the court to the authorities to take action for sealing the two borewells.