Forest Water Bodies Revive Drought-hit Anantapur

Anantapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise for Anantapur district during Mann Ki Baat was rooted in a series of targeted water conservation initiatives undertaken by the forest department in one of the country’s most drought-prone regions.

Referring to efforts to restore and create water bodies under Central government schemes, the Prime Minister highlighted Anantapur as an example of how local action can deliver sustainable solutions in arid landscapes. He specifically cited the Nagara Vanam project at Rayadurg, which has focused on combining afforestation with water harvesting.

Under the project, the forest department developed a Nagara Vanam spread over 15 acres of forest land near Rayadurg town, creating multiple water tanks, ponds and percolation structures as part of urban forestry development. These water bodies were designed to harvest rainwater, recharge groundwater and provide year-round water availability.

Anantapur DFO Chakrapani told Deccan Chronicle that the Rayadurg Nagara Vanam was planned with water conservation as its core objective. “Apart from urban forest development, several ponds were created using Central funds in reserved forest areas to ensure drinking water for wildlife,” he said.

He added that the initiative has begun yielding results. “Earlier, wild animals were straying into human habitations in search of water. With the availability of water within forest areas, such movement has reduced,” the DFO said.

Similar water bodies have been developed across forest tracts in the district over the past two years, helping improve moisture retention, biodiversity and ecological balance in the drought-hit region.

Rayadurg MLA and Government Whip Kalava Srinivasulu expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for recognising the successful implementation of these programmes and said the acknowledgment would further encourage conservation efforts in the constituency.