The tragic death of a man who fell into an open borewell in the Lowermunda area of Qazigund, south Kashmir on July 21, Monday, is a chilling reminder of a recurring and entirely preventable crisis. Across the country, borewells—many of them abandoned and unsealed—continue to claim innocent lives, largely due to administrative negligence and lack of public awareness. According to rough estimate, there are 27 million borewells in the country, a majority of which were dug without proper regulation. As groundwater levels drop, many borewells dry up and are simply left open, turning into death traps. According to data from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), over 40 children lost their lives in borewell incidents between 2009 and 2019. The actual number is likely higher due to underreporting, especially in rural and remote areas. Despite repeated tragedies and widespread media coverage, very little has changed on the ground. The Supreme Court of India, in 2010, issued clear guidelines to prevent such accidents. These include mandatory fencing around borewells, cement platforms around the casing pipe, registration of drilling agencies, and proper sealing of defunct wells using clay or concrete. However, enforcement has been lax. Local authorities, especially in rural areas, often fail to ensure compliance, either due to limited resources or bureaucratic apathy. States like Karnataka have recently taken commendable steps, enacting laws that require photographic proof of borewell sealing within 24 hours and impose penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for violations. But such measures are the exception, not the rule. Other states must follow this lead and adopt strict legal and technical standards to address the issue comprehensively. Public awareness is also sorely lacking. In many cases, borewells are left uncovered because the landowners are unaware of the risks or lack the means to seal them properly. Yet, capping a borewell with a concrete slab or steel lid is inexpensive and could prevent up to 95% of such deaths. Community-level engagement through panchayats and local bodies is critical to ensuring regular inspections and preventive action. Technology can play a role in rescue efforts, but prevention must remain the priority. Robotic arms, inflatable devices, and vertical lifters are being developed, but they are no substitute for a sealed borewell. The Qazigund death must serve as a wake-up call—not just for Jammu and Kashmir, but for the entire country. Borewell deaths are not freak accidents; they are the result of systemic failure. Preventing them is not only possible, but imperative. We must act—before another life is needlessly lost to an open pit.