Forest dept coping with drought, banks on pre-monsoon rain

Hubballi: Karnataka's forests too are facing the drought's impact with several water bodies in protected areas going dry. Forest officials fear that the situation could deteriorate if there are no pre-monsoon showers in the next three to four weeks.

The five tiger reserves in Karnataka — Kali, Bandipur, Bhadra, Nagarahole and Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) — are managing with 20% to 40% of water stored in water holes that quench the wild animals' thirst. However, a few protected areas, including Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, are forced to fill the water bodies with tanker water.

Experts and officials say that so far, wild animals haven't ventured into human habitation in search of water as the peripheral areas are worse off.

For the last fortnight or so, at least four water holes in Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary in Belagavi's Khanapur taluk have been getting tanker water. Bhimgad area is the source of several streams including Mahadayi, Kalasa, Banduri and Malaprabha.

While officials claim that the core area of the sanctuary has sufficient water to ensure wild animals don't stray out, residents on the outskirts of the sanctuary say there has been an increase in the number of wild animals, especially herbivores, visiting their villages since February.

"Water crisis is limited to the periphery of the sanctuary. Bhimgad has several water bodies in its core area and these water holes have sufficient water for the next few weeks," said Manjunath Chavan, Chief Conservator of Forests, Belagavi.

"We have received orders from senior officials to hire more tankers if required," he said.

Daroji and Gudekote sloth bear sanctuaries in Vijaynagara and Ballari districts are also getting water through tankers.

"We are managing the situation at both bear sanctuaries with tankers. The majority of water bodies have gone dry. Solar-powered pumpsets are pumping groundwater to a few tanks in the protected area," said Arsalan, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Vijayanagara. Currently, 30 water bodies in Daroji are being supplied water from tankers.

Field directors of Kali, Bandipur and BRT told DH there is enough water within the tiger reserves now.