more-in For the first time, the Telangana Forest department has deployed volunteers for survey of water sources in wildlife sanctuaries across the State as a preparatory measure for quenching the thirst of wild animals during coming summer. A total of 126 volunteers from various walks of life, apart from NGOs and forest officials, are all set to scour the tiger reserves, protected areas and sanctuaries on February 24 and 25, looking for sources of unpolluted water for wild animals. Having utilised the services of volunteers during the tiger census in the last week of January, officials have decided to deploy them once again for survey of waterholes, which is routinely done by forest staff annually before the onset of summer. According to officials of the department, volunteers had performed their duty with more commitment than forest beat officers during the tiger census, by completing the stocktaking without deviating from the prescribed procedure. Availability of water is set to become a challenge for the wild animals during summer, as many of their regular waterholes dry up due to heat. “Usually, the norm is four to five waterholes per forest beat. We have given instructions to volunteers to note down the number of ponds which have water now, and the ones which will have water after a month also. Accordingly, we can provide water where the number of sources is less than required,” said an official of the wildlife wing. The volunteers have been assigned beats in five major wild life areas, and told to look out for one waterhole for every four square kilometres, he said. The five areas are Amrabad Tiger Reserve and Kawal Tiger Reserve, and the Eturunagaram, Kinnerasani and Pocharam wildlife sanctuaries. The volunteers have also been asked to watch out for pollution seeping into the waterholes, instances of man-animal conflict, the distance from the waterhole to the area where movement of wild animals is noted, and alternative places where water can be provided. “Depending on the requirement, we will provide cement basins at strategic locations, which will be filled from time to time, using solar water pumps or water tankers,” the official said.

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