Ensure ample water in ponds for animals: MoS Sanjay Singh

Kurukshetra, June 18

Minister of State for Forest, Wildlife and Environment Sanjay Singh inspected the Sarasvati Conservation Reserve in Pehowa on Monday and directed the Forest Department officials to ensure all waterbodies had ample water for animals.

The Sarasvati Conservation Reserve was spread over 11,003-acre in Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts and it was declared a conservation reserve in 2007, earlier it was notified as a wildlife sanctuary.

Officials of the Forest Department apprised the minister that the conservation reserve was home to animals such as deer, chital, fox, rabbit, monkey, wild cat, nilgai and snake. To manage drinking water for wild animals, 22 ponds and five gajlers (small drinking water ponds) were built in this area by the department, which got filled with water during rains and some ponds and gajlers were filled with water by the department through tankers or tubewells, for which four tubewells had been installed by the department in the area.

To provide shelter and food to wild animals in the wildlife area, 23,000 plants of native species had been planted in the last five years.

The officials further said the arrangements had been made to protect the forest area from fire and a fire line of about 77 km had been maintained and 15 fire watchers had been deployed in the forest to provide information about fire and to extinguish it.

The minister was accompanied by political adviser to Chief Minister Haryana Bharat Bhushan Bharti.

Singh said, “Officials have been directed to ensure that there is ample water in the waterbodies so that the animals get adequate water during the summer season. The government is serious about the environmental issues. The officials have also been told to focus on planting Triveni and prepare a project for the fencing. All necessary measures should be taken to protect the forests from fire and the employees and officers should regularly inspect the forest area. During the inspection, some complaints against an officer of the Forest Department came to light following which inquiry has been ordered and till then the officer will remain suspended.”