Heatwave: Odisha PCCF Directs DFOs To Ensure Water Supply For Wildlife

Bhubaneswar: With heatwave condition prevailing across Odisha, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest has issued a set of steps to be taken by the DFOs for protection of the wildlife.

In a letter to the Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) on Monday, the PCCF Debidutta Biswal has directed to ensure availability of adequate water for the wildlife during summer. He told them to take the following steps to ensure the water provision:

• Take stock of the availability of water in all forest beats and identify the gap areas for intervention by providing water therein.
• Excavating/digging up old water bodies/water harvesting structures by a few feet may result in availability of water
• Water may be provided/supplemented to water bodies/water harvesting structures through tankers wherever required.
• In the areas facing acute water shortage, providing and replenishing water at regular intervals in plastic sheet-lined small concrete troughs in selected localities can be tried out.
• Conduct regular patrolling near water bodies, especially in remote areas, to prevent erection of machans/ hides or makeshift water troughs and salt-licks to lure wild animals for poaching.

The PCCF said since the wild animals tend to travel to outer areas of the forest and nearby villages in search of water during the summer, the DFOs should take step up patrolling and awareness drives by EDCs involving local villagers.

The zoos, rescue centres and wild animal parks have also been directed to put necessary arrangements in place to protect the animals from heatwave.

It may be noted that an elephant died reportedly due to heatwave at Narsinghpur Eastern Forest Division and a leopard cub, who suffered sunstroke, was rescued in Dharamabandha section of Nuapada Sadar forest range on Sunday.