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Two artificial ponds have been created in Singhapur Community Forest in Krishnapur Municipality. The ponds were created to facilitate drinking water for the protected wildlife in the forest. One of the ponds is within the community forest area while the second one lies in the outer region.
A total of Rs. 850,000 was investment under the community forest and Laljhadi Mohana Protection Programme to construct the two ponds. The community forest users group contributed voluntary labour worth Rs. 300,000 for construction of the ponds, according to Treasurer of the group Baburam Chaudhary. Baburam Chaudhary said, "The natural ponds inside the forest area dried up due to lack of conservation and hence the wild animals had been forced to change their habitat. As a result, sighting wild animals had become rare."
However, with the construction of the two ponds and regular availability of water, wildlife has returned back to the community forest area. Deers, wild boars, peacocks, leopards et cetera are easily traced nowadays, said the group Chair, Jogaram Chaudhary. To help visitors observe the wildlife without any disturbance, two view towers; one 41 ft and another 24 ft high have also been constructed.
Jogaram Chaudhary shared plans of developing the community forest into a touristic area. We also plan to develop this as a model community forest of the region, he added. Following the enforcement of scientific forest management, the community forest has been making an annual income of Rs. 15 million. The community forest established in 2056 spreads over an area of 204 hectares. There are 314 users committee conserving and benefitting from the community forest.
