India’s Borewell Crisis: Why Innocent Lives Are Still at Risk

In December 2024, a tragic incident in Rajasthan’s Dausa district brought national attention to the persistent issue of borewell deaths in India. A five-year-old boy named Aryan fell into a 150-foot-deep borewell while playing and, despite a 57-hour rescue operation, was declared dead upon retrieval.

Understanding Borewells and Their Prevalence

Borewells are narrow wells drilled deep into the ground to access underground water reserves. They have become a critical source of water, particularly in regions facing water scarcity. The growing demand for agricultural and domestic water needs has led to a significant increase in borewell drilling across India. However, their proliferation has also introduced serious safety challenges.

1. Purpose of Borewells: Borewells are primarily drilled for accessing groundwater, which is essential for irrigation, drinking water, and industrial purposes in regions with limited surface water availability.
2. Prevalence in Rural and Urban Areas: Rural areas predominantly rely on borewells for irrigation, while urban areas use them to meet domestic water demands due to inadequate public water supply systems.
3. Depth of Borewells: Borewells typically range from 150 to over 1,000 feet in depth. This depth makes them particularly hazardous when left uncovered, as they are difficult to detect at ground level.
4. Regions with High Density of Borewells: States such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra have the highest number of borewells due to chronic water shortages and erratic rainfall patterns.
5. Unregulated Drilling: The lack of stringent regulations has led to rampant and haphazard drilling, often without adherence to safety protocols. This unregulated growth of borewells has increased the risks of accidents.
6. Abandoned Borewells: Once borewells run dry or are no longer functional, they are often abandoned without being properly sealed. This negligence contributes to their transformation into death traps.
7. Economic and Environmental Impacts: The excessive reliance on borewells has also led to groundwater depletion and environmental degradation, further exacerbating the water crisis.

Causes of Borewell Accidents

1. Uncovered or Abandoned Borewells: Many borewells, after drying up, are left open without proper sealing, posing significant hazards.
2. Lack of Awareness and Supervision: Children playing near agricultural fields may inadvertently fall into uncovered borewells due to insufficient supervision and awareness.
3. Non-compliance with Safety Regulations: Despite guidelines from authorities, there is often a lack of adherence to safety measures during borewell drilling and after their abandonment.
4. Inadequate Warning Signage: The absence of clear warning signs around borewell sites increases the risk of accidental falls.
5. Improper Borewell Construction: Substandard construction practices, such as insufficient casing and lack of protective barriers, contribute to the danger posed by borewells.

Impact on Communities

1. Loss of Young Lives: The majority of borewell accident victims are children, leading to devastating losses for families and communities.
2. Psychological Trauma: Families and local communities experience significant emotional distress following such tragedies.
3. Economic Burden: Extended rescue operations require substantial resources, placing financial strain on local authorities and communities.
4. Erosion of Trust in Authorities: Repeated incidents can lead to public distrust in the effectiveness of safety regulations and enforcement.
5. Disruption of Daily Life: Rescue operations often attract large crowds and media attention, disrupting normalcy in affected areas.

Challenges in Rescue Operations

1. Technical Difficulties: Rescuing individuals from narrow, deep borewells presents significant technical challenges, often requiring specialized equipment.
2. Time Constraints: The longer a child remains trapped, the lower the chances of survival, necessitating swift yet careful operations.
3. Safety Risks to Rescuers: Rescue personnel face potential hazards, including borewell collapses and exposure to low-oxygen environments.
4. Limited Access to Advanced Technology: Many regions lack access to modern equipment that could expedite rescue efforts.
5. Coordination Issues: Effective rescue operations require seamless coordination among various agencies, which can be challenging to achieve promptly.

Supreme Court Guidelines on Borewell Safety

In response to numerous tragic incidents involving children falling into abandoned borewells, the Supreme Court of India issued comprehensive guidelines in 2010 to enhance safety measures and prevent such accidents.

1. Mandatory Prior Notification: Landowners intending to construct a borewell or tubewell must inform the relevant authorities—such as the District Collector, District Magistrate, or local municipal officials—at least 15 days before commencing any drilling activities.
2. Registration of Drilling Agencies: All drilling agencies, whether government, semi-government, or private, are required to register with the district administration. This ensures accountability and adherence to safety protocols during the drilling process.
3. Erection of Signboards and Fencing: During the construction of a borewell, it is mandatory to erect a signboard displaying the complete address of both the drilling agency and the landowner. Additionally, the site must be secured with barbed wire fencing or other suitable barriers to prevent unauthorized access, especially by children.
4. Construction of Protective Platforms: A cement or concrete platform measuring 0.50×0.50×0.60 meters (with 0.30 meters above ground level and 0.30 meters below ground level) must be constructed around the well casing to provide structural integrity and prevent accidental falls.
5. Proper Sealing and Abandonment Procedures: If a borewell is to be abandoned, it must be filled from the bottom up to the ground level with materials such as clay, sand, boulders, or drill cuttings. A certificate confirming proper sealing should be obtained from the concerned department, such as the Ground Water Authority or Public Health Department.
6. Monitoring and Enforcement: The District Collector is empowered to verify compliance with these guidelines. Regular inspections are to be conducted, and records maintained at the district level, detailing the status of borewells—whether in use, abandoned, or properly filled. In rural areas, monitoring is facilitated through village sarpanches and agricultural department officials, while in urban areas, it is overseen by municipal authorities.
7. Penalties for Non-Compliance: Non-adherence to these guidelines can attract punitive actions as specified by the District Magistrate under the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. This serves as a deterrent against negligence in implementing safety measures.

Despite the clarity and comprehensiveness of these guidelines, incidents continue to occur, often due to lapses in enforcement and public awareness.

Way Forward

Addressing the persistent issue of borewell accidents in India requires a multifaceted approach that combines stringent regulatory measures, technological innovation, and community engagement.

1. Strict Enforcement of Regulations: While guidelines exist for borewell construction and abandonment, their enforcement has been inconsistent. Authorities must ensure compliance through regular inspections and impose penalties for violations to deter negligence.
2. Technological Innovations in Rescue Operations: Advancements in technology offer promising solutions for both preventing accidents and enhancing rescue operations. For instance, a PhD scholar at IIT Madras developed an ‘Inflatable Borewell Rescue Device’ designed to safely extract children trapped in borewells. Such devices can significantly reduce rescue times and improve survival rates.
3. Public Awareness and Community Participation: Educating communities about the dangers of open borewells and the importance of proper sealing is crucial. Local bodies can organize awareness campaigns and workshops to inform the public about safety measures and legal obligations. Community vigilance can also play a role in reporting uncovered borewells.
4. Development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Establishing clear and efficient SOPs for rescue operations can enhance coordination among agencies and reduce response times. Regular training and drills for rescue personnel, incorporating the latest technologies and techniques, are essential to maintain preparedness.
5. Research and Development: Continuous research into new materials and methods for borewell construction and sealing can lead to safer practices. Investing in the development of cost-effective and user-friendly rescue devices can also contribute to reducing fatalities.
6. Policy Reforms and Implementation: Updating existing policies to address current challenges and ensuring their effective implementation is vital. This includes revisiting the legal framework surrounding borewell construction, usage, and decommissioning to incorporate stricter safety norms.
7. Use of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Implementing IoT devices and AI can provide real-time monitoring of borewells, detecting unauthorized access or structural weaknesses. Such systems can alert authorities and prevent accidents before they occur.

Conclusion

The recurrence of borewell-related tragedies in India underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement of safety regulations, increased public awareness, and the adoption of advanced technologies in both prevention and rescue operations. Collaborative efforts from government authorities, communities, and technological innovators are essential to prevent further loss of innocent lives.

Practice Question

Examine the causes and impacts of borewell-related accidents in India and suggest effective measures to prevent such tragedies, with special reference to Supreme Court guidelines. (250 words)