Chennai:
A law that makes prior permission mandatory to sink bore wells in Tamil Nadu is causing resentment among the state's farmers and bore well diggers, who are saying the new law will only encourage red tape and corruption.
The law, which was passed to stop small children falling into open bore wells, makes it mandatory for land owners to obtain permission by paying Rs 5000 for digging a bore well. The law also stipulates that rig operators must get a registration certificate worth Rs 15000 before working.
At least four children have died in Tamil Nadu alone after they fell into abandoned bore wells over the last few years. Earlier this year, a 3 year girl had died after being trapped in a bore well for 19 hours.
The new law makes land owners and rig operators responsible for safety of bore wells. Violators could be jailed for seven years and fined Rs 50000.
Farmers are however saying the new law will make life harder for them.
"Expecting farmers to get prior permission to sink bore well is not practical. During deficit monsoon time would we save the crop or run around getting permission? This would only pave way for corruption", B N S Dhanapalan, general secretary of the Cauvery Farmers' Protection Association in Nagapattinam says.
Dr Sekhar Raghavan, director of the Rain Centre in Chennai says "I'm afraid this would lead to delay and red tape. All it requires is raising awareness among public to cap all bore wells, a separate law is not required".
Bore well operators warn that the fee imposed for bore well approvals would ultimately make it expensive for consumers as the amount would be passed on to them.
Pari Ganesan who heads the Tiruchengode Rig Owners' Association cautions "it is unfair to hold us accountable for lapses on the part of the land owners who sink bore wells".
However some see the new law as a step in the right direction to check indiscriminate drilling of bore wells.
Ramesh Kumar, who works with a real estate company in the state says, "Several studies warn of severe water scarcity in many part of Tamil Nadu by 2030 and we have to regulate sinking of bore wells as it would otherwise lead to the water table going down drastically. In fact the government should increase the jail term up to 30 years as otherwise it is not going to be a deterrent".