Water scheme for wild animals in Tamil Nadu

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Chennai: The Tamil Nadu gov­er­­n­ment ann­ounc­ed on Mon­day, a Rs 2.81 cr­ore drinking water sc­heme for wild anima­ls, covering four major tiger reserves and forest areas in the state. The measure was proposed in view of animals straying into pu­b­lic places in search of water during dry spe­lls, thus causing damage to human habitats.
To reduce the hum­an-animal conflict in the state, government proposes to create wa­ter banks inside the forest and facilities to meet food requireme­nts of wildlife within the forested region. Ac­­cording to official sources in the forest department, the rise in conflict is due to lack of availability of food and water for wildlife.  
The government has indicated that it proposes to spend Rs 2.81 crore to develop the facilities required to reduce the straying of wildlife into human settlements. “The gov­e­­rnment has sancti­on­ed money to dig 26 bore wells in the forest for wildlife,” said a fo­rest official.
Accord­i­ng to official sources, all bore wells will be fitted with solar water pumps. The govern­m­e­­nt is also mulling ov­er the idea of creating water banks in Sat­y­a­ma­ngalam, Mudu­ma­lai, Annaimalai and Ka­lakkad Mudanthu­rai tiger reserves at a cost of Rs 44 lakh.
The government has envisioned creating additional four more wildlife sanctuaries in the state in regions like Krishnagiri, Coimbatore, Vellore and Dharmapuri, at a cost of Rs 2.37 crore.