Solar-powered water system set up for wildlife

By Gyanu Pangeni,Nawalpur, Nov. 27: A solar-powered water supply system has been installed for wildlife in the Namuna Buffer Zone Community Forest, located in Kawasoti Municipality-13 of Nawalpur district.

According to Rajkumar Gurung, Chairperson of the community forest, wetlands inside the forest dry up during winter, leaving wildlife without water. This often forces animals to change their habitat or venture into settlements, creating risks for both people and wildlife. To address this, the forest has introduced a solar-powered water system within the forest area itself.

As water sources inside the forest began drying up, the community forest installed the system at Century Ghol, ensuring a year-round water supply to the animals.  Gurung said that a solar-powered automatic boring system has been fitted to prevent the wetland from drying out.

He added that the initiative aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict, as animals searching for water often move towards settlements. “Like humans, wildlife also needs water for survival, so we have arranged water to meet their needs,” he said. The system automatically begins pumping water once the sun rises and gradually stops after sunset. A 142-foot-deep boring has been drilled for the water supply.

Last year, when Buddha Dhap Ghol dried up, the forest had to hire a generator, spending around Rs. 80,000 to manage water. However, due to the high cost and insufficient water, the forest opted for a solar-powered system this year with support from the Himalaya Nature Institute. The boring installation cost around Rs. 800,000.

Gurung also shared that the forest plans to install similar automatic boring systems in other areas next year as wetlands continue to shrink. The community forest has also been working on cleaning and managing the wetland areas within its boundary.