COIMBATORE: Wells and tanks left uncovered by some private individuals and panchayats in the Nilgiris district are proving to be death traps for wild animals like leopard, sloth bear and gaur. Despite several warnings issued by the forest department, the owners have failed to cover wells or tanks.
On November 13, a five-year-old leopard was rescued from a fell in a residential area in Kotagiri. Last month, a sloth bear fell into an open tank in Kotagiri but managed to climb out on a ladder placed by forest officials. Citing these incidents, wildlife activists have appealed to the forest department to sensitise landowners to the threat faced by animals.
K Kalidass founder of Osai, said “Nilgiris is a wildlife destination where the pocket forest is high when compared to continuous forest land. There is a high chance of animals falling into wells or tanks while moving from one forest to another. The State government should instruct landowners to cover wells immediately using iron grilles so that it would prevent these physically strong animals falling into the well/tanks.”
N Sadiq Ali Founder of Wildlife Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT) said “Animals falling into wells have been reported in the region for over a decade. These must be covered immediately so that the wild animals are saved. Not only for wild animals, but the open well pose threat to humans also. VAOs must inspect if wells/tanks are closed and take steps to cover them.
Bhosale Sachin Thukkaram District Forest Officer Nilgiris forest division told TNIE, “So far, we have not taken stringent action against landowners who failed to cover their well since most of the well/tanks are located outside the forest. If the landowners refuse to cooperate, we will soon take action against them. We plan to approach the district collector to get an order to cover or close down the well if they are unnecessary."
K Saravanakumar Assistant Conservator of forest Nilgiris forest division, said “We have written to panchayats in Coonoor, Kotagiri, Ooty North, Kundha and Kattabettu to cover wells owned by them. Though the maximum number of wells are covered, one or two wells are not. We will stress them again.”