Two lakes in the national park are already dry whereas water level in other lakes is also depleting, said CNP’s Information Officer and Assistant Conservation Officer Nurendra Aryal.
Lakes are getting dry due to long spell of drought. The Raine Lake which has high tourism value with availability of one-horned rhino also went dry. “We took stock the status of different lakes. The Laghuna Lake and Thapaliya Lake where the movements of wild species are marked are found dry”, Aryal said, adding that, “The water level in other lakes has also sharply declined”.
He however said that efforts are on to level up water in the lakes so the wild-lives are not affected.
The lakes which are deemed very important for endangered wildlife in the Chitwan National Park – enlisted in the world conservation list – are drying in lack of water. Some of the lakes of the national park are covered with bush.
The lakes were filled up with water due to flood this time last year. But the lakes are going dry for no rainfall this year, said the CNP sources.
The lakes have also been affected due to climate change. The management of lakes has been a tough job when the space is also shrinking naturally.
The water source of Chitwan National Park is the Chure region. Growing de-forestration in Chure region is one of the major cause behind the current state of lakes, said environment experts.
All sides should work together for the conservation of forest and water, said CNP In-Charge Ram Chandra Kandel.
There are 56 lakes in Chitwan national Park alone. Among the important lakes are Tamor Lake, Lami Lake, Devi Lake, Garud Lake and Kamal Lake. The lakes are also being encroached with soil expansion. RSS
