Over 80 hours after Fatehveer Singh (2) fell into a 150-foot-deep borewell near his house in Bhagwanpura, the joint rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force and the local administration is still on. A parallel borewell of 36-inch diameter has been dug to pull the child out.

Volunteers and Dera Sacha Sauda followers are also helping in the operation.The rescue effort remained halted for five hours due to some problem in the 127-foot-deep parallel borewell. A pipe having an opening on the side has also been installed. The plan is to extricate Fatehveer through that opening after cutting the old borewell from beneath.

“The Sangrur administration and the state government have failed to make required arrangements and Fatehveer is still stuck. The CM must intervene,” said Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema.

Two ambulances having ventilator facility have also reached the spot. “Our team is ready and immediately after pulling out Fatehveer, we would take him to hospital,” said Dr Manjit Singh, Civil Surgeon, Sangrur.

Expressing satisfaction over the rescue effort, Cabinet Minister Vijay Inder Singla said, “The operaton remained suspended due to some technical problem. It’s taking time as the NDRF say it’s a tough operation for them. The CM and the administration have taken all required steps. There should not be any politics over it.”