‘Don’t dig up my son to bury him again:’ Father of Bagalkot borewell victim

Hubli: Though authorities are continuing with their efforts to rescue six-year-old Thimmanna Hatti, who was trapped on Sunday in a borewell in  Bagalkot district, his father Hanumantappa Hatti has lost all hope of finding him alive and wants the digging to be stopped. However, the authorities are continuing with the rescue operation.

“They are trying to extract my son’s body just to bury it again. I appeal to the government to stop digging, as I cannot afford to close the 160-feet deep trench,” Hanumantappa said. He had dug 6-7 borewells in his seven-acre farm, but could not find water and had reportedly taken a loan of Rs 15 lakh for the purpose.

He urged the government to continue rescue operation only through use of robot. Meanwhile, the officials have immersed vacuum cleaner pipe to extract loose soil. Robot expert Manikandan has also arrived from Madurai to take up rescue operation.

Though efforts are on to rescue six-year-old Thimmanna, who was trapped on Sunday in a borewell in Sulkeri village of Bagalkot district, his father Hanumantappa Hatti has lost all hopes of finding him alive and appealed to the Government to stop digging work. He is concerned that further digging would only damage the farmland and aggravate his family’s debt burden.

However the officials and elected representatives have resolved to continue with the digging of 160-feet deep trench, despite his pleas. Hanumantappa even fell unconscious and was admitted to a government hospital after his desperate appeals were rejected on Tuesday.

“I have been reeling under heavy debt burden after attempt to draw water by digging 6-7 borewells failed. I have taken loan of Rs 15 lakh to dig these borewells. I have 7 acres of farm land and families of my two brothers are also totally depending on it for survival. They are trying to extract my son’s body just to bury it again. Therefore, I don’t want to lose my farm land also as I have lost hope of my son being alive. I appeal to the government to stop digging, as I cannot afford to close the 160-feet deep trench again,” Hanumantappa said.

He said he has to look after his two daughters and needs to spend a fortune for their marriage and his small farm land will help him to resolve financial problems to some extent. He urged the government to continue rescue operation only through use of robot and other technology.

Meanwhile, the officials have pressed into service a vacuum cleaner pipe to extract the soil collapsed on the boy. The robot expert Manikandan has also arrived from Madurai in Tamil Nadu to take up rescue operation.

Close defunct borewells in city: Minister

Following repeated incidents of children falling into the defunct open borewells, district in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday directed authorities of urban district and BBMP to close them down by this year or face criminal cases.

Mr. Reddy told reporters that there are about 2,500 defunct and open borewells under Bengaluru urban district authority limits, of which around 1,000 have been covered.

“When the dug up borewell fails to yield ground water, usually the casing pipe is pulled out thereby increasing the diameter of the borewell. Such borewells should be covered with mud. If the borewell casing is not pulled out then that should be covered with metal cap. If the defunct borewells on government land is found uncovered criminal cases will be filed against the officials concerned. If defunct borewells are not covered by private persons then the criminal case will be filed against them,” Mr Reddy explained.