Aug 31 deadline to close open borewells in Karna, minister

In a major drive, Karnataka Government has set August 31 as the deadline to close open defunct borewells on private and government lands in the light of recent incidents of children falling into such borewells.

The drive announced by Rural Development and Panchayatraj Minister H K Patil comes as a follow up on an earlier government circular to district authorities to take steps to conduct a survey of abandoned open borewells and close them.

A six-year old boy fell into an open borewell in his father's farm at Sulikeri village in Bagalkot District on August 3 with the eight-day long operation ending on a tragic note as his body was recovered in a decomposed state yesterday.

In another incident at Nagathana village in neighbouring Bijapur district, a four-year old girl fell into an open borewell and was found dead after a 50-hour long operation on June 20.

Patil said government has started the process of collecting information through Panchayat Development Officers and from citizens to ensure that abandoned open borewells are closed.

He also said the government, in the next ten days, will come out with comprehensive instructions on various connected matters including giving permission to borewell contractors.