https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

No More Borewell Deaths in MP’s Rajgarh Now, Thanks To This IAS Officer’s Machine Learning Skills

The 2020-batch IAS Officer, Anshuman Raj, has been using machine learning not only to identify and seal open borewells but also in satellite-based surveys of crop damage due to the vagaries of the weather. 
Indian Masterminds Stories

In December 2023, in a tragic incident, a five-year-old girl fell into an open bore well in Pipliya Rasoda Village, in Rajgarh District of Madhya Pradesh. Despite an intense rescue operation, the girl lost her life after about six hours. This incident brought national attention to the persistent problem of open and unsealed bore wells, which are common in rural areas across the state. Often, these wells are abandoned once they fail to yield water but remain uncovered, posing a significant danger to children, who are small enough to fall into them.

This tragedy led IAS officer Anshuman Raj (2020 Batch MP cadre), who was then posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Narsinghgarh, Rajgarh, to take action. Deeply impacted by the incident, he decided to implement a solution that would help prevent similar accidents in the future. 

“We initiated an extensive survey to identify and map the open bore wells in my jurisdiction. My team categorised these wells based on their safety, identifying those that were unsafe and posed significant risks. This database proved crucial in locating hazardous wells and closing them, thus reducing the risk to local communities,” Mr. Raj, who is currently posted as CEO, Zilla Panchayat, Sidhi shared with Indian Masterminds

LEVERAGING AI AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR BORE WELL DETECTION 

Anshuman Raj, who holds a background in marine engineering, turned to modern technology to scale his efforts. Inspired by facial recognition software, which uses machine learning algorithms to identify and verify individuals, he envisioned a similar system that could automatically detect bore wells using satellite imagery. The process began by manually labelling satellite images, creating a training dataset for the machine learning model. This dataset would teach the system to recognise patterns and identify bore wells with high accuracy.

“After 15 to 20 days of training, the model was able to detect bore wells in satellite images with approximately 95% accuracy,” he added. This technological advancement significantly reduced the need for manual intervention and made the identification process more efficient.

Borewell Detection with AI and ML
Borewell Detection with AI and ML

However, implementing this solution on a larger scale presented challenges. One of the main issues was the high computational power required to process satellite images. The AI model needed high-resolution images to detect small bore wells, often only 6-7 inches in diameter. Traditional satellites offer images with resolutions of 30 meters, but the AI model required higher-resolution images to ensure accuracy. Despite these challenges, Mr. Raj’s team persevered, refining the model to improve its effectiveness.

EXPANDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY BEYOND BORE WELL 

The application of machine learning and satellite imaging went beyond borewell detection. The officer also applied these technologies to other areas of administration, such as disaster management. In 2023, a hailstorm caused significant crop damage across 27 villages in Madhya Pradesh. Traditional methods of assessing the damage were slow and inefficient. 

“However, by using satellite images, our team was able to map the affected areas quickly and accurately, which saved the government around 75% of the funds that would have otherwise been wasted on inefficient manual surveys,” the officer shared. This allowed for a faster, more transparent compensation process.

LONG-TERM IMPACT

Since the initiative was implemented, there have been no additional incidents of children falling into open bore wells in the surveyed areas. The awareness generated through the GIS-based database, along with regular checks by ground staff, has led to the timely identification and closure of unsafe wells. The database also helped update land revenue records and monitor groundwater levels.

While the initiative was initially localised to Rajgarh District, IAS officer Anshuman Raj is working towards scaling it across Madhya Pradesh. He shared with Indian Masterminds that the state government has shown interest in expanding this model, recognising its positive impact on reducing incidents and improving transparency.

FUTURE PROSPECTS AND EXPANSION

Although the initiative has seen success in some areas of Madhya Pradesh, there are challenges to scaling it nationwide. In states where groundwater is found at deeper levels, bore wells are more common, and many of these are left unsealed after they are abandoned. Closing these wells is often considered an unnecessary expense by locals, which exacerbates the problem.

Nonetheless, Mr. Raj remains confident that technology can help address these challenges. The use of machine learning models to tackle other complex issues, such as disaster management and land administration, offers a significant opportunity for improved governance.

IAS officer Anshuman Raj’s innovative approach to using AI and satellite imagery for the detection of open bore wells in Madhya Pradesh offers a practical and scalable solution to a long-standing problem. The successful implementation of this project has not only prevented further tragedies in those areas but has also demonstrated the power of modern technology in solving real-world problems. 

Through the use of machine learning, AI, and satellite technology, this initiative addresses multiple challenges in governance and disaster management, setting a valuable example for other regions to follow. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Titagarh Rail System
Titagarh Rail Systems & BHEL Inaugurate Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Production Line in West Bengal
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
Orissa High Court Rejects Anticipatory Bail of IAS Manish Agrawal in Stenographer Suicide Case
indian-forest-service IFS Officers
2 IFS Officers, Including Sajjad Hussain Mufti, Promoted in Ladakh and J&K
hudco-foundation-day
HUDCO Celebrates 55 Years, Charts Ambitious Growth Path to Fuel India's Infrastructure Vision
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd
GRSE CMD Cmde PR Hari Honoured with Management Excellence Award 2025
IRFC
IRFC Emerges as Lowest Bidder for Rs. 5,000 Crore Loan to NTPC
Vishakha Yadav IAS
IAS Vishakha Yadav Honoured with Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for ‘Project DIGIKAKSHA’
Himachal Pradesh High Court
Himachal Pradesh High Court Directs Formation of Police Establishment Board and Fixed Tenure for DGP
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WAVES 2025 (Ashutosh Mohile)
A Davos-Like Media & Entertainment Summit in Mumbai
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-25 at 16.19
IFS or Nothing: Why Shreya Tyagi Gave Up ITS, IDAS And IRS for Her Real Dream | Exclusive
From a curious young girl in Bahrain to an Indian Foreign Service officer, Shreya’s pursuit of diplomacy...
Hemant Mishra UPSC CSE 2024
From Bihar to UP’s SDM: How Hemant Mishra Cleared UPPCS Twice, BPSC, and Secured AIR 13 in UPSC
Hemant Mishra, a resilient Bihar native, cleared UPPCS twice, BPSC, and secured AIR 13 in UPSC CSE while...
Sanskriti Trivedy
AIR 17 Sanskriti Trivedy’s Final Shot at UPSC Hits the Bullseye
Despite already securing Rank 352 and joining IDAS, SanskritiTrivedy didn’t give up on her dream. In...
Social Media
Exam Student Aspirant
'Bramhastra' For Aspirants Appearing for UPSC Prelims Exam 2025, ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Final Month Strategy
Officer Shaikh's practical and focused suggestions come as a timely morale booster for thousands of candidates...
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Titagarh Rail System
Titagarh Rail Systems & BHEL Inaugurate Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Production Line in West Bengal
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
Orissa High Court Rejects Anticipatory Bail of IAS Manish Agrawal in Stenographer Suicide Case
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WAVES 2025 (Ashutosh Mohile)
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT