The Karnataka government announced a state‑wide campaign to identify and safely close unsafe open borewells, focusing first on those abandoned or that failed to yield water. Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology Minister Ajay Dharam Singh said the initiative, called the Borewell Suraksha Abhiyan, will begin with a verification of failed and defunct borewells drilled under the Minor Irrigation Department.
The Ground Water Development Directorate has been tasked with preparing an action plan that covers identification, verification, safe closure and ongoing monitoring of these borewells.
“Not a single open borewell should be allowed to become a threat to a child’s life,” Singh said. He added that the first phase will verify all failed and defunct borewells under the Minor Irrigation Department and guarantee that every unsafe borewell is properly secured and closed.
The campaign will later expand to borewells managed by other government departments, local bodies and public places. A dedicated helpline is also being considered, with a WhatsApp number and web‑based reporting facility that would let citizens submit photographs and location details. The proposed system could incorporate geo‑tagging and tracking of complaints from initial reporting through verification to final closure.
