The Hindu, September 17, 2014
Water is the most needed natural resource in the rain
shadow region of Chinnar on the Western Ghats. The Chinnar Wildlife
Sanctuary gets rain only by the cyclonic disturbances over the Bay of
Bengal during the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon. The rivulets and
streams inside the sanctuary become live only for some time after the
northeast monsoon and dry up quickly, making life difficult for the
wildlife and the tribal population in the sanctuary.
The
Forest Department has initiated a successful experimental venture,
Punarjani, to address the issue. Thanks to the earnest initiative taken
by Prasad G., Wildlife Warden in Munnar, to restore the three existing
check-dams there with water brought from the east-flowing Chinnar
river through gravitational flow. The department team led by Mr. Prasad,
and assisted by N.T. Sibin, assistant warden, has laid an underground
pipeline linking the Chinnar river at Churulippetty to the check-dams.
Now,
the check-dams as well as the waterholes near the watch tower in the
sanctuary are being invigorated with surplus water. This otherwise dry
thorny forest area now swirls with fresh water, quenching the thirst of
the wild animals as well as the tribal people, says Mr. Prasad.
The
restored check-dams fill the nearby waterholes and retain water round
the year. As a result, the number of animals frequenting the area such
as elephants, deer, wild dogs, wild boars, gaurs, and so on, has
increased, and the aquatic floral species such as Typha, Utricularia and
many algae have made a comeback, he adds.
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