Dharwad: Taking into account the severe drought and drying up of lakes in the forest region, the Forest Department has come forward to the rescue of wild animals by digging water tanks on the border of forest, agriculture lands, and inside forest areas of the four main forest zones in the district.

The department has dug more than 30 temporary water tanks for the wild animals. The tanks, which are of the dimension 5 meters long, 2 meters wide, and one meter deep, have been dug to store water for the benefit of wild animals. Each tank has a capacity to hold nearly thousand litres of water.

The department has dug such water tanks in Banadur, Kalkeri, Aravatagi, and in Nigadi zones. Water is being supplied to these tanks through tankers.

Currently, the department is supply water to these tanks through tankers that are being filled using private motors.

Of the 30 tanks that are constructed, the department has already released funds for 13 tanks, he said, and added that each tank requires ` 20,000 to ` 25,000, and water is supplied once in five days.

Yields result

The efforts of department has started yielding results as slowly there is an increase in the number of animals coming to these tanks to drink water.

While in morning the water bodies are being used by the cattle for drinking water, in the nights the Forest Department has recorded instants of leopards and bear drinking water. The department has taken the task of providing water to animals as a challenge and are leaving no stone unturned. They have also sought the assistance of public in this regard.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Range Forest Officer P K Vijaykumar said, the department decided to come up with artificial water bodies for wildlife to make sure that their thirst is quenched. The department has dug four types of tanks in the forest areas, depending upon the animal habitation and kind of animals that visit these tanks.

He said that the department has created these artificial ponds in places where the tanks have completely gone dry. The department has also re-filled agriculture ponds on the border of forest areas, to make sure that water is available for animals that are venturing towards human habitation.

Water harvesting

Another major decision the Forest Department took was to seep the excess water that was being wasted in rural areas. This water will be now released into water percolation pond to increase ground water table, he said, and added that this has brought more success towards conservation of water.

At present, the department is conducting such experiments at Hulukoppa and Banadur in Galagi range.