A year after the forest department and the district administration began efforts to restore River Sigurhalla, and ensure perennial flow of water along its course, wildlife has begun to thrive along its banks and local communities are now free of their annual water crisis.
The river used to go dry for up to five months a year, because Tangedco would stop water flowing into the Sigur plateau from the Kamaraj Sagar Dam further upstream for power generation purposes. As a result, most of the wildlife, including elephants and tigers, would be pushed further into the core area of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in search of food and water. This resulted in increased competition for food among wildlife, and last year saw an increase in the number of elephants dying due to starvation and disease in the region.
However, the drought which affected the Nilgiris last year prompted forest department officials and conservationists to come up with a plan to mitigate the effects of the summer season on wildlife in the Sigur plateau.
After consultation, the forest department, district administration and Tangedco decided that a minimal base flow of water from Kamaraj Sagar Dam would be maintained during the summer months, when the river begins to go dry. Starting February, water was released from the dam, and the river is now thriving with life. Mmarsh crocodiles, river otters, elephants, gaurs, white-rumped vultures and tigers are regularly spotted along the banks of the river.
Speaking to The Hindu , S. Kalanidhi, District Forest Officer (Nilgiris North Division), said that the primary sources of water for River Sigurhalla was the Sandynallah reservoir and the Kamaraj Sagar . The river flows more than 30 km from its source and into the Sigur, where it joins River Moyar.
Apart from ensuring that water was released by Tangedco during the dry season, the forest department, with funds from the Special Area Development Programme, constructed new check dams along the course of the river.
“Because of this project, the riverine ecosystem has been restored, man-animal conflicts have come down and has benefited tribal communities living in the area, as they too have access to water all-year-round,” added Mr. Kalanidhi.
T Devi, a resident of Chokkanalli village, said that while people had to previously depend on percolation pits for water during the summer season, the river now has enough water for their requirements.
