HYDERABAD: The Telangana government told Hyderabad High Court that it had issued various guidelines, as per Supreme Court directions, to prevent tragic incidents of death of kids in abandoned borewells pits in the state. On earlier occasion, a division bench TS government to file counter affidavit giving all details with regard to number of permissions granted for digging borewells and so on. The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by Prakash Buddarapu, a practicing advocate of high court, complaining that the provisions of the law are not being followed by persons who drill bore wells and failure of officers to take appropriate steps in this regard.
The petitioner sought implementation of guidelines of the Supreme Court and WALTA to prevent such tragic incidents. The principal secretary, in his counter, submitted that the minister for panchayat raj and rural development has conducted a review meeting where the guidelines were framed as per directions issued by the Apex Court.
Drilling agencies, whether belonging either to government or private agencies have to be registered, registration of cases and imposing penalties against those who fail to take requisite permissions prior to digging borewells, rig owner has to ascertain whether permissions were granted or not before digging the borewell, every rig owner or operator has to pay the fixed fee towards registration to the ground water department and to inform the concerned tahsildar or MRO within three days after digging of the borewell are among the guidelines included. Besides, the district collectors were asked to have field survey with regard to borewells which are abondoned and to issue notices to the owner concerned directing him to close such borewells without fail. The department staff should keep the data base online.