Solar-Powered Pumps to be Installed for Animals in Mysuru Tiger Reserves

The solar-powered pumps will be used to replenish water in the tanks across the woods and will be established by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL), which is set to start work by the end of January.

Forest department is planning to set up the solar-powered pumps at the Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves to ensure wild animals do not bear the brunt of water scarcity in the summer months.

The solar-powered pumps will be used to replenish water in the tanks across the woods and will be established by the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL), which is set to start work by the end of January.

These submersible pumps will be installed with motors that will be used to pump out water, which will eventually fill up the waterbodies.

Forest department had installed the first pump in the Antarasanthe forest range that falls under the ambit of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve two years ago. The device, a 5HP solar pumpset, lifts water from a borewell 300ft deep.

During summer, the pump lifted from 60,000 to 70,000 litres of water to a nearby tank, thereby drawing wild animals, including tigers in large numbers in the summer. Consequently, the tank also became the epicentre of activity for wildlife enthusiasts, who flocked to it to catch a sight of the animals in their natural habitat.

S Manikandan who is conservator of forests and director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve said that a 1,800km-fireline had been created in the forest as part of the department’s efforts to prevent fire accidents. “We have already installed 18 solar-powered pumps to draw water, since the summer is fast approaching. We have now decided to install ten more pumps to meet the water requirements of the animals,” said Manikandan.

Ambady Madhav, Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve said that the forest already has 11 solar-powered pumps, and 20 more would be installed by the end of January. “Heavy rain last year has ensured that most of the tanks in Bandipur have enough water, and so that there are no problems during the summer,” he added.

Source: ET