Forest dept working to identify spots for 6 troughs in Annamalai hill region

The 2,669-ft-high Annamalai hills with its lush foliage is also the home for many animal and bird species. Since the temperature is soaring in the hill and its neighbouring region, officials are planning to construct 6 more troughs. This is also part of efforts to prevent any intrusion of animals for water into human habitats.

Officials said that speedy action was being taken as around 100 monkeys from the reserve forest recently strayed into Vanapuram near Thandarampattu and wrought havoc.

Animals including deer, monkeys, porcupines, peacocks and wild pigs enter human settlements in search of water at night, the official said. “We are making efforts to ensure that these animals did not come out of the forest. It is hard to drive the animals back into the jungles as they easily get food in human habitats. So, they attempt to stray into residential pockets repeatedly,” the official explained.

“Wild pigs and porcupines venture into town only during the night and return to the forest before dawn, while peacocks are occasionally seen on the girivalam path and they return to the reserve forest before nightfall,” officials added.

Sources revealed that the NGOs were being approached for help to build ground level cement tanks that could be filled with water by the forest department weekly or daily based on the use. The Annamalai range, includes the Mahadeepa hill, Kavuthi hill and the Sorakolathur hill.

The Mahadeepa hill has six cement water holes, while the Kavuthi and Sorakolathur hills has two each, officials said. Each were of 10,000 litres capacity, they added. Since more water holes would be required during the peak summer, officials are inspecting various locations to build 6 more troughs holes. Once the locations were fixed, NGOs would provide the wherewithal to construct them, the official said.