The Madras High Court today disposed off a PIL filed by a law student for a direction to the Central and State Governments to formulate guidelines to regulate the erection and management of bore wells especially abandoned ones.
The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan disposed off the PIL after recording a statement of the Government that the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act,1994, and the Chennai Municipal Laws and the Chennai Metropolitan Area Ground water (Regulation) Amendment Act,2014 have been amended to provide for more regulations and stringent punishment which has been brought into force.
"An assurance is given that the rules will be notified within a month from today and publicity would be given to both the Acts and Rules to make public aware and the provisions enforced strictly and the petition stands disposed off", the bench said.
G Sivagami filed the petition after the death of a four year girl after she fell into an abandoned borewell at Arni in Tiruvannamalai district on September 28.
The petitioner submitted that it was due to negligence of the authorities by not regulating the erection and management of bore wells and tube wells, the girl child fell into an abandoned bore well and died.
The Supreme Court had framed detailed guidelines in a case for the management of bore wells and tube wells. The authorities ought to have enacted legislation for the purpose. Violators should be booked under stringent laws, the petitioner said.
When she sought compensation to the family of the deceased girl, Advocate General informed that already an amount one Lakh was paid by Government and another one lakh is also agreed by the Government to be paid.
