Sikta Irrigation Project's Western Canal Poses Deadly Threat to Wildlife

Banke. Wildlife are dying prematurely due to the under-construction Sikta Irrigation Project's western main canal not being wildlife-friendly. Wildlife that come to quench their thirst are getting trapped and dying in the canal. The risk is increasing as most of the western main canal of the Sikta Irrigation Project falls within the Banke National Park area, community forests, national forests, and government-managed forest areas.

With the onset of summer, wildlife that come to the canal daily for water are dying in it, said Tank Gurung, information officer at the Division Forest Office. According to him, as recently as Saturday, four deer were trapped in the canal in the Harlaphanta Community Forest area in a single day. They were safely rescued and released into a safe forest area through the joint efforts of local forest officials, locals, forest employees, and park employees.