Officials fill and monitor troughs as mercury rises in forests

It is regular exercise by officials of the forest department to provide water in the troughs during summer in forest areas to prevent animals from intruding into human habitats in search of water.

“Our field staff monitor troughs on a daily basis and update it on a WhatsApp group. Water is refilled usually once in four days or based on necessity,” said N Satheesh, District Forest Officer (DFO), Coimbatore Forest Division.

There are about 54 troughs in the seven forest ranges in the division. Following the poor monsoon last season, most of the water sources in the forests have gone dry. The present measure is to help animals and prevent them from straying into nearby villages.

“We have avoided filling water in some troughs located close to the roads as a precautionary measure. A percolation pond has also been developed in the Sirumugai forest range for the convenience of wild animals,” said N Satheesh.

However, environmentalists termed the forest department move to fill up water in tanks as unscientific move and would only increase the man-animal conflicts.

“When water is made easily available in forest boundaries, then wild animals stay over in the same place without migrating. Increase in population of bigger animals at a single place and may lead to fodder shortage and trigger intrusions into residential neighbourhoods,” said K Mohan Raj, an environmentalist.

He said that the animals should be allowed to migrate towards dams and perennial water sources, where the availability of vegetation will also be good.