Boreholes: Licensed death traps

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M. S. Verma

05 June, 2010

Unprotected and uncovered bore holes claim innocent children's lives but nobody feels converned. People have verh short memories and the accidents keep occuring.

FEW DAYS back a girl fell into a 200 ft. hole that was reportedly bored and left covered only with an old sack. Needless to say the government, the social organizations, the villagers and every body who is constantly looking for some sensation gathered to render social and humanitarian service of trying to rescue the child who all knew had very little chances of survival.

But everybody contributed with a few exceptions to have a share in the cake, or at least a pat on the back so that they would have a story to tell for a long time of their admirable work. Efforts however have to be made by all, including the ever ready Indian army to whose credit goes the success of bringing out the still breathing baby after over 48 hours. Whatever was possible in the given circumstances had been done with short lived elation, however the baby was declared brought dead.

The TV Channels as usual showed visuals of the dead child in an army mans arms and the baby’s mother weeping inconsolably. The channels are hungry of such sensational news and they made the maximum of this opportunity coming so unexpectedly and free of cost to them.

But the question is when all these social workers, the government included, have good memories to remember such tragedies to obviate such painful occurrences. A few years back such a painful accident had taken place near Yamuna Nagar Haryana. It was a bonanza for the news channels and it continued for a long time. Their efforts saved the child’s life but as a byproduct the child became a hero and the members of his family received lime light more than they deserved or could have dreamt. Money and gifts poured in and no one knows how rich the family became.

But the people have a notoriously short memory and the incident was followed by not one but about half a dozen such accidents in which not a single life could perhaps be saved and we are a society of very ethical members. Who after all should be held responsible for these frequent occurrences which shouldn’t’ have been allowed to repeat?

I thing we can have them in the following order:-

1. The contractor and the person or agency that hires the contractor for the job.

2. The Government that didn’t take any deterring steps to prevent
these accidents and no deterrent law has in force.

3. The parents, who don’t bother what their children are doing.

4. The innocence of the children who enjoy playing games which they shouldn’t.

5. The media that behaves in a partisan way and doesn’t spare a little time to educate the masses about this scourge.

6. The society as a whole including you and I.

I feel outraged and helpless at these happenings and am not sure if this article will be at all helpful. Only the media can lend a helping hand if they want to and save the next victim as the inexcusable neglect is sure to recur.