Measures for Prevention of fatal accidents of small children due to their falling into abandoned bore wells and tube wells

                   IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

                     CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

                  WRIT PETITION (C) NO.36 OF 2009

In Re:

Measures for Prevention of fatal accidents of small children
due to their falling into abandoned bore wells and tube wells


Union of India and Ors.                                         ...Respondent(s)



                                O     R    D   E    R


         With    this     Court     issuing        requisite      guidelines     vide

order    dated     11th       February,        2010,       subject       to    slight

modification, nothing survives in the present writ petition.

         That modification is as follows:

           (i)          The owner of the land/premises, before
           taking any steps for constructing bore well/
           tube well must inform in writing at least 15
           days in advance to the concerned authorities in
           the    area,       i.e.,       District       Collector/     District
           Magistrate/Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat/any
           other Statutory Authority/concerned officers of
           the Department of Ground Water/Public Health/
           Municipal          Corporation,          as    the    case    may   be,
           about the construction of bore well/tube well.


           (ii)         Registration           of        all     the     drilling
           agencies,                  namely,                   Government/Semi
           Government/Private               etc.     should      be     mandatory
           with         the    district        administration/Statutory
           Authority wherever applicable.
                                                                          ....2/-
                            - 2 -
(iii)     Erection of signboard at the time of
construction near the well with the following
details :-
       (a) Complete address of the drilling agency
at the time of construction/rehabilitation of
well.
       (b) Complete        address      of     the       user
agency/owner of the well.


(iv)      Erection of barbed wire fencing or any
other suitable barrier around the well during
construction.


(v)       Construction            of     cement/concrete
platform measuring 0.50x0.50x0.60 meter (0.30
meter above ground level and 0.30 meter below
ground level) around the well casing.


(vi)      Capping     of   well     assembly   by    welding
steel plate or by providing a strong cap to be
fixed to the casing pipe with bolts & nuts.


(vii)     In case of pump repair, the tube well
should not be left uncovered.


(viii)    Filling of mud pits and channels after
completion of works.


(ix)      Filling     up     abandoned       borewells     by
clay/sand/boulders/pebbles/drill             cuttings    etc.
from bottom to ground level.


                                                     ....3/-
                                 - 3 -
(x) On completion of the drilling operations at
a   particular         location,      the   ground    conditions
are    to    be       restored   as   before    the    start   of
drilling.


(xi)        District Collector should be empowered
to verify that the above guidelines are being
followed and proper monitoring check about the
status of boreholes/tubewells are being taken
care        through       the     concerned     State/Central
Government agencies.


(xii)       District/Block/Village            wise    status   of
bore wells/tubewells drilled viz. No. of wells
in use, No. of abandoned bore wells/tube wells
found open,No. of abandoned borewells/tubewells
properly filled up to ground level and balance
number of abandoned borewells/tubewells to be
filled up to ground level is to be maintained
at District Level.
In rural areas, the monitoring of the above is
to be done through Village Sarpanch and the
Executive from the Agriculture Department.
In case of urban areas, the monitoring of the
above is to be done through Junior Engineer and
the Executive from the concerned Department of
Ground                Water/Public           Health/Municipal
Corporation etc.


(xiii)      If    a    borewell/tubewell       is    'Abandoned'
at any stage, a certificate from the concerned
department               of        Ground           Water/Public
health/Municipal Corporation/Private contractor
etc. must be obtained by the aforesaid agencies
                                                         ....4/-
                                      - 4 -
            that   the    'Abandoned'       borewell/tubewell      is
            properly filled upto the ground level.           Random
            inspection of the abandoned wells is also to be
            done   by    the   Executive       of    the   concerned
            agency/department.        Information     on   all   such
            data on the above are to be maintained in the
            District Collector/Block Development Office of
            the State.


       We   are    informed    that   the     last   paragraph   of     the

earlier order dated 11th February, 2010, concerning publicity

has been duly complied with.

       Subject to the above, the writ petition is disposed

of.


                                              ....................CJI.
                                              [S.H. KAPADIA]



                                              ......................J.
                                              [K.S. RADHAKRISHNAN]



                                              ......................J.
                                              [SWATANTER KUMAR]
New Delhi,
August 06, 2010.