Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil on Thursday said a new law would be framed to prevent incidents of children falling into defunct borewells.

The minister told reporters in Bengaluru that companies which drill borewells and also owners of borewells would be made responsible for closing their defunct borewells. Once a borewell is defunct, the owner/company should submit records pertaining to the same to gram panchayats, in case they want to drill a new borewell. The minister said an ordinance would be promulgated to give effect to the new law.

To a question, he said his department is making preparations for taking up cloud seeding. It is not right to say cloud seeding is of no use, he opined.

Referring to reports that the government would be taking up ‘Paathala Gange project’ to draw underground water by digging 10,000 ft deep, Patil said the government would be entering into a pact with Waterquest Hydroresources company of the US in this regard. The company would be paid only if the project yields water. The state Cabinet’s approval would be sought for the project, he added. He claimed that the proposed project would do no harm to the environment.