Taking serious note of the water crisis in deep forests in Bidar district, Swabhimana Geleyara Balaga has swung into action to quench the thirst of wild animals this year too.
A team consisting of nearly 30 youths has dug saucer pits, constructed artificial ponds and concrete rings to store drinking water for animals.
Swabhimana Geleyara Balaga president Chandrakant Padshetty told The Hindu that due to persistent heat wave and high temperature, water ponds and natural water reservoirs have dried during the summer.
And, for the last four years, the balaga has been providing water for wild animals.
Volunteers of Swabhimana Geleyara Balaga constructing water storage rings in a Bidar forest. | Photo Credit: T. GOPICHAND
“Our team took this initiative during a summer four years ago and we planned to provide water in the forests from March to May-end. We carry around 1,500 litres to 2,000 litres of water into the forests in plastic drums every day and fill the water ponds and saucer pits,” he said.
The team has over the years constructed 20 cement rings and a dozen artificial water ponds and saucer pits in the forests covering the thick patches coming in the Bidar and Humnabad ranges and, also, a portion of Nirna, Algood and Manhalli forests in the Basavakalyana range.
The team of animal lovers has also made a video to inspire conservationists and youths to join it in the endeavour.
Explaining the working pattern, Mr. Padshetty said that each member of the team contributes ₹200 every month from his pocket and this amount is used for the construction of rings, purchasing plastic drums and cans and to meet transportation expenses for carrying water to the forests.
Volunteers of Swabhimana Geleyara Balaga filling water in a storage ring in a Bidar forest. | Photo Credit: T. GOPICHAND
He said that the Forests Department is not making adequate arrangements to address drinking water scarcity forcing wild animals to stray into human habitat to quench their thirst and hunger.
The team has built ponds and rings with the consent of the Forests Department and the officials helped them identify places for constructing water storage.
When asked, Mr. Padshetty said that the Forests officials mentioned that there is no such provision for allocating funds for providing drinking water facilities to wildlife.
There are nearly 200 youths in the Swabhimana Geleyara Balaga team and the volunteers have visited government offices and schools in urban and rural areas and planted around 22,000 saplings across Bidar district in the last eight years, Mr. Padshetty said.
