Efforts made to quench thirst of wild animals in Mancherial

They added that steps would be taken to address if the animals face drinking water crisis in any part of the forests.

Mancherial: Officials of the forest department have made efforts to quench the thirst of wild animals in the region’s forests including the Kawal Tiger Reserve in view of the scorching heat wave conditions.

According to officials, the district has four forest divisions such as Jannaram, Mancherial, Chennur and Bellampalli that account for a total of 231 water saucer pits, 1,172 percolation tanks, 26 check dams, 37 solar pumps, 62 chelemas or pits in streams, 17 ramp wells, 13 earthen ponds and 29 natural water holes or springs meant for drinking water to the animals.

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The officials said that water was available in 136 saucer pits, 182 percolation tanks, 15 check dams, 33 solar pumps, 55 chelemas, 16 ramp wells, 13 earthen ponds and 29 springs across the four divisions. They stated that the sources could quench the thirst of the animals till summer is over. They added that steps would be taken to address if the animals face drinking water crisis in any part of the forests.

Percolation tanks in some divisions dry up

Drinking water sources in some forest divisions are drying up fast. For instance, no percolation tank has water out of the total 293 tanks in Bellampalli division. Barely 12 tanks have water when compared to the total 427 sources in Mancherial division. Similarly, 142 tanks were found to be having water out of 424 tanks in Chennur division.

Officials stated that availability of water in these sources was being tracked for every week. If any source is dried up, water is filled in saucer pits or to address the problem. While funds Rs 2,000 and 2,500 are spent to fill saucer pits with water, base camp watchers remove silt from chelemas every week. Defunct solar pumps are replaced by new ones.

“Water augmentation in the forest by percolation tanks, check dams , solar pumps was planned and executed in saturation manner, across the district. Water was filled in saucer pit water at necessary locations. Chelemas, ramp wells, earthen ponds were created to provide drinking water to the animals,” District Forest Officer Shiv Aasheesh Singh told “Telangana Today.”