Steps underway to quench thirst of livestock

Anantapur: With the month of April experiencing high temperature, livestock-cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats- are questing for drinking water to just wet their throats. Animals are experiencing acute shortage of drinking water and fodder. Heat waves are contributing to death of sheep and other livestock due to scarcity of drinking water, especially in the pen fields.

Highlights:

• New scheme of constructing water tubs for the cattle launched on April 3 in Anantapur district
• The scheme is jointly executed by DWMA and Animal Husbandry department

To offset drinking water shortage, District Collector Kona Sasidhar devised a new scheme to cater to water requirements of 48 lakh sheep and cattle in the district. The purpose of the scheme is to provide drinking water tubs for the cattle in all villages in the district. Out of the 3,334 habitations where cattle and sheep population are present, as many as 1561 habitations which did not have water tubs have been identified.

The scheme was launched by the Collector on April 3, 2017 to supply water to livestock especially during the on-going summer months. The district administration aimed at constructing 1561 water tubs by April second week so that all identified 3,334 habitations will have water tubs catering to 48 lakh livestock.

Jayamma, a woman sheep farmer of Andepalle village in Kalyandurgam mandal says that animals are dumb and cannot communicate nor can they stage dharna demanding drinking water supply. A heartening aspect is tankers supplying water to animal water tubs which guarantees water for the entire day.

These are community water tubs and all the cattle can quench its thirst from the tubs. During the past three days, temperatures have been very high and the water tubs arranged in villages are really life-saving, adds Achayamma of the same village. The scheme is being jointly executed by DWMA and Animal Husbandry department.

Funds are provided by DWMA under the MGNREGS programme and the scheme is being executed by Animal Husbandry department with the technical support of NREGS. The construction of each tub costs Rs 25,000 with 17 per cent of it as wage component and 83 percent for materials. The water tubs will be connected to taps for continuous 24-hour water supply.

In case of water scarcity, tankers will supply water to the water tubs and ensure availability of water for livestock throughout the day. DWMA Project Director A Nagabhushanam told The Hans India that this scheme devised by the Collector is being exclusively implemented in the district. All the water tubs’ construction has been completed and proving to be a great boon to the cattle even as mercury levels are rising.

Kona Sasidhar speaking to 'The Hans India' said that the scheme launched by him is basically to give water security in the summer to livestock. Fearing water problems many cattle and sheep owners are resorting to distress sales as livestock tend to die due to water shortage in the summer when blistering heat dries up water in animals as well as in human beings.

To effectively tackle thirst of livestock, the scheme is being executed on a war footing to prevent animal deaths and distress sales. Animals are flocking to the water tubs and quenching their thirst. Farmers and the livestock owners have welcomed the unique scheme which is the brain child of the Collector.

By Ravi P Benjamin