Well Water Continues to Oscillate in Morbi Village; Collector Orders Probe

Morbi: The unusual movement of water in a farmer’s well in Virparda village of Morbi taluka has prompted the district administration to order a technical investigation. District Collector Swapnil Khare on Thursday said there is no cause for concern at present and urged people not to pay attention to rumours.

The well, located in the field of farmer Pranjivanbhai Saradia, was constructed around three months before the monsoon. Following good rainfall this season, it filled with water. Since Sunday, however, the water has repeatedly turned turbid and moved in wave-like patterns. While the movement subsided briefly on Tuesday, it resumed on Wednesday evening.

The unusual phenomenon attracted large numbers of people from Virparda and nearby villages, making the well a local point of curiosity.

Acting on the collector’s instructions, District Geologist Jagdish Vadher visited the site for a preliminary assessment. According to him, the movement is likely being caused by pressure from trapped gas between rock layers as fresh rainwater seeps into the underground strata.

Collector Khare said the administration also sought an immediate technical assessment from the State Seismology Department after concerns were raised among local residents. The department’s findings showed that no earthquake or underground seismic activity had been recorded in Morbi district over the past eight to ten days.

As the water continues to oscillate, the collector has directed experts from the Ground Water Research Institute (GWRI) to conduct a detailed site investigation.

A special GWRI team will soon examine the groundwater and soil conditions at the site. The exact reason behind the unusual movement of the well water will be determined only after the team submits its final technical report, officials said. DeshGujarat