Few curbs to stop illegal borewells

After the Mahi fell into the abandoned borewell on her birthday,the administration swung into action and registered an FIR under Sections 188 and 336 of IPC against houseowner Rohtas Tayal,who is from Najafgarh but currently residing in Dwarka. Section 188 refers to violation of government orders.

Moreover,he would be charged with contempt of court because the Punjab and Haryana High Court had banned digging of borewells without permission.

The administration had earlier claimed that it has managed to put an end to illegal borewells,but there has been allegations of people continuing to dig such wells.

The Deputy Commissioner’s office formed various committees to make people aware of the dangers posed by borewells and had even tried to implement Section 144 of CrPC to curb the menace. But all these have failed to achieve the desired result,an official said.

The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has also alerted the district administration that groundwater in the area has depleted significantly over the years.

It has declared Gurgaon district as “notified area”,meaning no one can dig a borewell without permission from the Deputy Commissioner.

The incident in Khoh near Manesar could have been averted had the people who illegally dug the well sealed it after realising that no water was available even at 70 feet,sources said.

They simply abandoned it,covering the mouth with a stone,the sources said.

Sources alleged that inspection teams formed by the administration would often seal borewells,but failed to initiate action against offenders. Most often,these people would just break the seal or dig a new one nearby,they said.

The administration said around 500 illegal borewells have been sealed over the past one year.

“We have 27 teams to conduct inquiries and seal illegal wells. Even village headmen have been asked to keep an eye on such activities and inform the administration,” District Magistrate Meena said.

He said people should also be vigilant and inform the administration about such activities.