UDAIPUR: Trains pulling tankers to shrivelled zones or supplying water through tankers for human consumption are not uncommon during summer time. Ever heard of tankers refilling ponds to keep fish alive?People in Menar, a village situated some 50km from Udaipur and famous as a birding site, have come to the rescue of fish struggling to survive in shallow water under the scorching sun. They contribute money to get water tankers to prevent the village pond from going dry. The cost per tanker is around 300 rupees. It is difficult for these poor people to pool in resources. However, with the word spreading on social media, nature lovers from across the state have stepped in to offer financial aid.Menar boasts of more than 35 species of resident and 50 varieties of terrestrial birds. It plays host to exotic winged creatures in the winters.The villagers here call themselves ‘pakshi mitras’ and their efforts to save the fish are deeply connected to their immense love for the birds. “If the fish die, the birds will have nothing to eat in winters and they will leave our village, which we cannot think of,” Dharmendra Menariya, a village youth and forerunner of the campaign, told TOI.In two days, people from Kota, Ajmer, Dungarpur , Beawar and Jaipur have extended help to meet the tanker expenses.So far, around 20 tankers of water have been used to fill Dhand talaab, however, with the high rate of evaporation, a full tanker dries up within a week.Sensing the gravity of the situation, the forest department for the first time undertook a re-location bid by shifting some of the fish to a nearby pond having comparatively higher water level. “We relocated the fish to nearby Brahma Sagar pond. Carp weighing around 3 quintals have been shifted,” Rahul Bhatnagar, chief conservator, forests, said.“Besides the forest department, experts from the fisheries research centre of Maharana Pratap University for Agriculture and Technology too extended help in shifting the fish. We do not intend to clear out all the fish from Dhand talaab because it would be difficult to develop aquatic species all over again,” Dr Sunil Dubey, a nature enthusiast, said.The activists and villagers in a joint effort have been pooling in resources to keep the pits filled through tankers. “Emptying water tankers in shallow ponds causes rapid evaporation. A pit should be made near a pond of 300ft length, 50ft width and 5-6ft depth which can retain water so that fish survive until monsoon. Local people as well as fisheries and the forest department should come ahead for shramdaan,” said L L Sharma, former dean, Fisheries college.

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