A residential complex constructed at a cost of Rs one crore exclusively for the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), the squad created to prevent wildlife crimes, in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve has been abandoned by the Forest Department due to ‘water scarcity.’
The Forest Department started constructing the residential quarters at Melkamanahalli, at the entrance of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve on National Highway 67 in 2010, even before the induction of the STPF.
Adjacent to the highway, the residential cluster has 17 houses, which came up in 2011 to accommodate a batch of STPF personnel (a batch consists of 15 personnel). But, the quarters were never been occupied.
According to the sources in the Forest Department, the quarters has not been used due to lack of water supply.
“We drilled two borewells, but there was no water. We have now decided to shift the location of the quarters to Maddur range, where a residential complex is coming up at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore,” said a source, on condition of anonymity.
A visit to Melkamanahalli showed that the painted, unoccupied houses comprising kitchen, bedroom, hall and toilet indeed had water tanks. The roads have been laid and electric poles for street lights have also been installed and power supplied. The sources there said that there has been no water problem around the Melkamanahalli area.
According to sources, the Forest Department spent Rs 95 lakh for this complex and the entire funding had come from the Union government’s Project Tiger.
The Conservator of Forests, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Kantharaju, was not available for comments. When contacted, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, G S Prabhu said the issue had not come to his notice and added that he will look into the matter.