Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)
Bantwal, Sep 2: The administration, which sits up and take notice only when the officials come under immense pressure from above, has now been trying to fill defunct wells and borewells after some children lost their lives and the concerned were warned of stern steps in case of their continued inaction. In spite of the official claims on this front, dangerous quarry pits and wells continue to dot the rural belt where they are awaiting the people who are not careful enough to slip into them.
One such example is Kallady, a village within Karambar under Kuppepadavu gram panchayat in Mangalore taluk. So far, no efforts have been made to level or close the stone quarry pits which abound in Dadeguri and Jarigekatte areas of the village. It is clear that the order issued by the district deputy commissioner, A B Ibrahim, calling upon the officials to fill dangerous pits and abandoned borewells in the district immediately, has not been implemented in this village. These pits look imposing and threatening during rainy season as they are full of standing water, and their existence itself gets unnoticed unless one is well versed with this area. Only those who go to the edges of these pits come to know the level of danger posed by them to human life.
The district had witnessed death of several children a few days back because of quarry pits with standing water. The above areas are frequented by children of the village. How far is the government justified in keeping these pits unfilled or unlevelled? Are those engaged in running of these quarries justified in concentrating only on their own interests, and showing no responsibility towards ensuring that they do not endanger human lives? There is an urgent need for them to change their style of functioning and improve their functioning to see that no lives are lost because of their irresponsibility. The mines and geology department too has to take interest to see that quarry pits with standing water do not turn into death traps.
A defunct well without any protective wall near Kallady school also seems to bewaiting for unsuspecting victims. There are trees around this well, and children who go up these trees while playing, are sure to put their lives in grave danger. Kuppepadavu gram panchayat has to evince interest to provide cover or protection to children and others who face imminent danger from this well.
These dangerous spots, which had escaped the attention of the elders and officials, were brought to the notice of the gram panchayat and district deputy commissioner by the children of the said school. After holding discussions in the Children's' Rights Association of Kallady higher primary school on this issue, the children had brought the same to the notice of Prajna Counselling Centre in Mangalore, which has been providing them with guidance.
Convener of the organization, William, visited the spot along with children, and got convinced of the grave danger posed by this well and other spots. At the suggestion of William, the children have since complained to the gram panchayat and district deputy commissioner about the dangerous spots in their village including the said well, urging them to take immediate steps to make these zones safer for the people and children alike.