Villagers block water supply to park, say they need it more than animal
BHARATPUR: Hours after Panchana dam released water to crisis-hit Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, nearby villagers blocked the supply claiming their requirement is higher than the park’s. The supply resumed after more than 12 hours following administration’s intervention.
The national park, spread over 29 square kilometres, was added to dark zone list by UNESCO due to drought. In 2007, nesting birds abandoned the sanctuary due to paucity of water.
After a good spell of rainfall over the last few weeks, six of the seven sluice gates of Panchama dam 1 which has 36 million cubic metre (mcum) water against its capacity of 59.45 mcum — were opened on Tuesday.
“Bharatpur has received good rainfall but the park is still not full. Eight lakes in the bird sanctuary need 550 cusec water. We received 105 cusec water on Tuesday through Dakan canal in Ajan dam but the supply was later stopped by protesting villagers,” park director Biju Joy said.
The national park started receiving water around 2pm on Tuesday but the villagers of Agaah Darapur stopped the supply around 9pm saying they need water for cultivation. The water supply resumed on Wednesday afternoon.
Bharatpur collector Laxminarayan Soni assured the villagers on Wednesday morning that they would get water from Panchana dam.
Deewan Singh, former sarpanch of Agaah Darapur gram panchayat, said the administration assured them of regular supply of water to the dam.
“The administration said we could stop the supply to the national park if water level comes below the determined gauge in the dam,” he said.
KNP was established as a national park on March 10,1982 and declared a World Heritage Site under the World Heritage Convention in 1985.
Every winter, thousands of migratory birds from Europe, Siberia, China and Asia visit the park for nesting on Babool trees (Acacia tree).