Karnataka to launch drive to secure unsafe open borewells

Though regulations and monitoring mechanisms are in place following directions of the Supreme Court, the department has felt the need to identify borewells that may not have been included in official records or may have been drilled without adequate reporting. | Photo Credit: File photo

The Karnataka government will launch a State-wide campaign to identify and safely close unsafe open borewells, particularly those that have been abandoned or have failed to yield water, Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology Minister Ajay Dharam Singh said on Monday.

The ‘Borewell Suraksha Abhiyan’ will begin with the verification of failed and defunct borewells drilled under the Minor Irrigation Department. The Ground Water Development Directorate has been asked to prepare an action plan for their identification, verification, safe closure and monitoring.