Nellore: Forest officials recently prepared a proposal to dig bore wells, equipped with solar power motors, to take water through the pipelines to saucer pits being formed in the interior areas of the forest to quench the thirst of the animals.
Unfortunately, the scheme has been lying in cold storage due to election code coming on the way for any new sanctions.
Moreover, the authorities concerned have been hardly finding any time to look into the matter as election work has been taking lion’s share of their time. With no hope to get funds sanctioned till the elections are completed, some committed forest officers converted some vehicles seized for illegal transportation of red sanders as water tankers and took the water as far as the vehicles could move into the forest to ensure water for the animals.
Forest officer S.K. Allabakshu is the first officer to take the initiative, moved by the plight of the animals for water. Though he is due to retire in 10 days, he spent `75,000 to establish 15 water sumps in backward Seetharamapuram, that is dotted with deep forest housing leopards, bears, wild goats, wild dogs and all kinds of deers, besides peacocks.
Divisional forest officer, Nellore C. Venugopal Rao said that they have plans to establish check dams inside the sanctuary and they are also on the lookout for perennial water sources, deep in the forest, to establish overhead tanks equipped with solar motors to take the water to the interiors of the forest. He added that they have identified some locations in the forest to establish fodder plots to raise the grass besides salt licks for the animals.
It remains to be seen whether the officials concerned will react and sanction funds to realise the plans to address the needs of voiceless creatures.
