Jaisalmer: A dramatic collapse of ground during the digging of a tubewell here in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district has caused panic in the area by causing a sudden burst of underground water and gas inundating vast expanses of land.
The incident unfolded on Saturday during the digging of a tubewell near Chak 27 BD in the canal area of Mohangarh in the district. It is learnt that at 850 ft depth, a fountain of water along with gas suddenly burst out from the ground causing the ground to cave in as a result of which the drilling machine as well as the truck also sank into the ground and the field turned into a pond in no time. The flow of water has not receded even after 24 hours leading to a deep pit of 15 to 20 feet width in the area.
Unusual Groundwater Flow
Explaining the unusual geological phenomenon, groundwater scientist Dr Narayan Das Inkhaiya, who visited the spot, attributed the incident to artesian condition. “This incident can be a sign of the ancient flow of the Saraswati river. The water coming out here is coming out due to artesian condition in the language of ground hydrology,” he added.
“The geological layer that saves water here is buried in a confined condition by a thick layer of sandstone and clay. As soon as the original water layer is punctured by crossing this layer of about 200 meters thick, the water starts flowing upwards due to extreme pressure. This situation has been seen earlier also at many places of Mohangarh and Nachana Panchayat Samiti,” Inkhaiya explained.
No Possibility Of Water-logging Or Damage
Ruling out water-logging or damage due to the cave-in, Dr Inkhaiya said that the incident is an unusual example of groundwater flow. Initially the height of the water was very high, but now the water level has decreased a bit, he noted.
Efforts were made by the administration to control the water flow, which is still not receding at the moment. More importantly, the pit that has formed around the tube-well, could be dangerous for the locals with the local administration preparing to seal the area for people to avoid any untoward incident.
ONGC Officials Visit Spot
Mohangarh's Deputy Tehsildar Lalit Charan said that on Saturday night, officials of the oil and gas company ONGC visited the spot and examined the gas emanating from the site. He said the visiting ONGC officials have ruled out the poisonous nature of the gas. However, as a precaution, the administration has evacuated the field and the surrounding 500 meter area as a precautionary measure, he added.
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