Punjab CM wants standard operating procedure in place for borewells

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh issued instructions to find out the shortcomings in the operation to rescue Fatehveer and give recommendations for better results in future.

chandigarh Updated: Jun 12, 2019 14:05 IST

People participate in a candle light march to pay tribute to the two-year-old child Fatehveer, who died after falling into a borewell in Sangrur, in Amritsar, Tuesday, June 11, 2019. (PTI)

A day after ordering closure of all open borewells, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asked the disaster management group led by the chief secretary to finalise a standard operating procedure (SoP) to make them safe.

He issued instructions to find out the shortcomings in the operation to rescue Fatehveer and give recommendations for better results in future.

Explaining his government’s position, Amarinder said, “Rescue operation was handed over to NDRF on June 6 soon after the news came that a child has fallen into a borewell.”

8 lakh borewells vulnerable in state

As per an estimate of the state agriculture department, state has 8-lakh borewells (of 14 lakh) vulnerable to mishaps.

“The number (of borewells) is huge and I think farmers need to take proper cautions so that no such incident takes place,” said secretary agriculture KS Pannu.

A large number of borewells are lying unused and they need to be filled immediately, he added. “It is very simple to make the wells safe, but I am shocked the owners are so casual about the danger they pose,” Pannu said.

The officers in agriculture and revenue departments said it was difficult to count and locate borewells.

First Published: Jun 12, 2019 13:49 IST