17-yr-old Bantwal boy digs 24ft well to tide over water scarcity

Mangaluru: A 17-year-old boy from Naila village in Bantwal taluk has emerged quite the hero in his neighbourhood after he single-handedly dug a well, 24 feet deep, and helped find a much-needed solution to the prevailing water crisis in the area.Speaking about his effort, Srajan, a PU student at the Government College, B Mooda, told TOI: “I always wanted to dig a well because of the water crisis we were facing. Water supply is through the panchayat here and whenever there is a power crisis, water crisis follows.”He added: “Digging a well was always on my mind, but I was not sure whether I would be successful. The task was difficult, but I knew it was not impossible. About two weeks ago, when I first noticed that there was water about 15-16 feet underground, I was overjoyed. My family too was excited that my hard work had paid off. This inspired me to dig further,” Srajan, the son of Lokanath, a tailor, and Mohini, who rolls beedis, added.He had started digging in December and after a few days’ work, managed to dig up to 3-4 feet. After the completion of the IPUC exams, he devoted most of his days to digging.