The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and States on measures taken to prevent children from falling into abandoned or open borewells.
A Bench led by Justice Arun Mishra issued notice on a petition filed by advocate G.S. Mani seeking the court to ask the governments at State and Central levels to file a report on the action taken against errant officials whose neglect led to the tragic deaths of children trapped in borewells.
Mr. Mani’s petition was filed in October last year in the wake of the death of two-year-old Sujith Wilson after he got trapped in an abandoned borewell in Tiruchi in Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Mani said authorities remain negligent about safety measures concerning borewells despite Supreme Court directions in 2010.
He annexed several news reports of borewell deaths in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra over the years.
The petition said the deplorable negligence which led to the death of the two-year-old in Tiruchi brings to the forefront dangers of abandoned and open borewells.
‘Failure of govt.’
He contended that the Tamil Nadu government had failed to take any precautionary measure despite the court directions nine years ago. There was a total failure.
The petition sought a complete report from both the Centre and States on steps taken to prevent such accidents.
