Wild animals go thirsty in Sangareddy as Congress Govt denies funds for summer plan

Sources said Medak district alone would need Rs 10 lakh to clean and fill the 240 saucer pits, but they got nothing so far during the last two summers since the Congress came to power

Sangareddy: Forest officials in the district are finding it difficult to mobilise alternative resources to provide water to wild animals in the forest area, with the State government allegedly delaying funds for filling water in saucer pits in the forest.

In the last two days, two spotted deers were killed by feral dogs as they came out of the forest in search of water in erstwhile Medak district. While one deer died near Ramayampet in Medak district on March 4, another deer died in Jagadevpur mandal in Siddipet district on March 5. According to sources in the forest department, there were 240 saucer pits in Medak, 100 saucers pits in Sangareddy and Siddipet district also had more than 100 saucers pits. However, not many were filled with the water even in April.

Leopards too are straying out of the forest area quite frequently in search of water across the erstwhile Medak. Sources said Medak district alone would need Rs.10 lakh to clean and fill the 240 saucer pits, but they got nothing so far during the last two summers since the Congress came to power. Though some active forest officials with the support of local panchayats, which had enough financial resources, were trying to make alternative arrangements, the efforts have proved not enough to meet the needs of wildlife.

As the temperatures go up, wild animals, birds and reptiles are finding it difficult to survive throughout the summer if forest officials continue to delay in filling the saucer pits. Wildlife conservationists have demanded the district collectors to grant some special funds to save the wild animals.