GURGAON | Nov 09, 2016: Mining pits scattered across Aravali, a reminder to the exploitation of eco-fragile mountain range, are now being turned into water holes to ensure adequate supply to support wildlife of the region. Excited with the increasing evidence of wildlife in the Aravali, the forest department has so far converted six mining pits into water holes and many more are in the pipeline.

Mining, which left several pits in Aravali, was banned by the Supreme Court in 2009. Some of the big mining pits, where digging was done below the ground water level, have turned into lakes, particularly in Faridabad area of the Aravali. Besides, there are several small mining pits in Aravali which is now turned into water holes.

To ensure availability of water for longer duration in these pits, forest department is making arrangements to plug in leak points and make the base concrete to avoid leakage of water from these pits. These water holes are expected to retain rainwater for longer duration.

"These will be like water holding tanks that would store rainwater for months," said a senior forest official adding that if required they can fill these pits with water tankers during summers to ensure availability of water for wildlife round the year. He said water will start accumulating in these pits from next monsoon.

The department will prepare around 10 such water holes along the Mangar-Bandhwari stretch, in forest areas of villages such as Bandhwari, Mangar, Abhayapur, Khori, Damdama and Rithoz. Four water holes have already been prepared in Bandhwari and Abhayapur, and the remaining are likely to be completed in the coming months.

"Adequate supply of water and food is essential for survival of wildlife," said MD Sinha, conservator of forest (South Circle).

Camera traps installed in Aravali is continuously capturing wild animals in Manger and Bandhwari areas. So far camera traps have captured three leopards, hyena, Indian Golden Jackal, Ruddy Mongoose, Small Indian Civet and Common Palm Civet, Mongoose, Neelgai etc.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)