Date:20/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/20/stories/2007042009240400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

No gas this! It's natural gas from borewell

B. Chandrasekhar

INTRIGUING STUFF THIS: A villager of Chappidi Vengaannagaripalli in Anantapur looks on as the stove burns with gas oozing out of a drinking water borewell on Thursday.

ANANTAPUR: People of Chappidi Vengannagaripalli in Putluru mandal of Anantapur were first shocked and later awe-struck on Thursday afternoon to find natural gas oozing out of drinking water borewell maintained by the Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department. As the saying `necessity is mother of all inventions' goes, villagers tried all possible ways to confirm that the borewell was oozing out gas and eventually succeeded in their efforts by channelising the gas with a pipe and igniting a stove attached to the pipe. It was a festive-like atmosphere. While some prepared tea with the `natural' gas, others even cooked food.

According to villagers -- Venkateshwar Reddy and Venkataramanappa -- the borewell was sunk 10 years ago by the department to a depth of 280 feet. "It has served our drinking water needs all these years to a large extent, if not entirely sufficient", they said. The borewell remained unused for the last 10 days as the submersible pumpset fixed to it was burnt.

In the meantime, villagers noticed that air was oozing out of the borewell. They also heard strange sounds. Intrigued by the phenomenon, borewell mechanic Srinivasulu Naidu got down to work on Thursday to lift the motor by disconnecting the power cables. When villagers lighted a matchstick to burn a piece of one of the cables to disconnect it, the borewell caught fire.

Shocked at the development, villagers along with the mechanic put off the fire by spraying soil. Reaching to a conclusion that the borewell was oozing gas, they made a hole to the lid on the borewell and inserted a pipe used for domestic cooking stoves, brought a gas stove and ignited it. The stove began burning.

Officials rushed to the site

Villagers made a beeline to watch the `unusual' happening. Incharge Tehsildar Ramakrishna Reddy visited the site in the evening and reported the matter to the district administration. A borewell in the sweet lime orchard of one Ankala Reddy in the village was also stated to be oozing the gas but it is yet to be confirmed.

Villagers suspect that 20 other borewells could also have gas. District Collector D. Kadmiel has deputed a team of officials to the village to report on the incident.