Aravallis to get 20 more artificial ponds

Gurugram, July 5 To bring relief to animal population in Bhondsi, Raisina, Manesar, Kasan among others, the district wildlife department plans to develop 20 artificial ponds within the next year in the Aravalli hill area.

A survey has already been completed and with these 20, the number of artificial ponds in the Aravallis will go upto 40.

According to the officials, there is a flourishing wildlife population in the Aravalli hill areas of Bandhwadi, Wazirabad, Manesar, Kasan, Raisina, Mandawar, Bhondsi and Damdama areas of Gurugram alone, officials said.

Their population has increased in the last few years. The Wildlife Department used to fill up the existing 20 artificial ponds besides the water supply in the natural ponds, however, with climate change and spike in summer temperatures every year have forced the wildlife population to reach inside the human zones to extinguish their thirst.

Considering this to be an effective human-animal conflict scenario anytime, there was a discussion about making additional artificial ponds, which was approved last week in the meeting of the senior officials of the Forest Department.

The names of areas considered include Wazirabad, Bandwadi and Kasan in the Gurugram district. Apart from Gurugram. Besides, in the Aravalli hill area under the Faridabad, Nuh and Mahendragarh districts of Haryana.

"According to the plan, 20 additional artificial ponds will be made in the Aravalli hill area within the next one year. The pond will be made in such a way so that the wildlife could locate these ponds easily," said M.S. Malik, the principal chief conservative officer of, Forest Department.