Shillong, Dec. 13: Denizens of the Nongkhyllem wildlife sanctuary are staring at a severe water crisis.

Following an explosion at the Umiam-Umtru power plant recently, the dam project there has been drained out. The dam serves as the main source of water for the sanctuary in the winter months, when water bodies inside the park dry up.

The power plant, more commonly known as the Umiam-Umtru stage IV power station, came to a grinding halt after a tunnel exploded, blowing up an entire hill with it.

Though the power department has scoffed at such a possibility, claiming that the stage IV dam was located in the higher reaches and is some distance away from the Nongkhyllem sanctuary and not accessible to animals, environmentalists think otherwise.

A group of environmentalists and organisations from Ri Bhoi are planning to investigate how the accident could impact on animal life in and around the sanctuary as well as the surrounding forests.

Nongkhyllem is famous for some rare species of birds and primates and has been drawing researchers from all over the globe. Recently, a team from the Wildlife Institute of India and the US conducted a survey on hollock gibbons in the sanctuary. An environmentalist, D. Syiem, who has been involved in documentation of biodiversity in the region, felt that “a proper investigation into the problem is needed”.

Syiem said that the contention that animal life could be affected by de-watering of the dam “holds water”.

“The dam is more than a decade old and over a period of time, it would only be natural for an ecological niche to develop around it. Even a layman would know that animals depend on it for water,” Syiem said, adding: “You cannot dismiss development of life forms around any water body, no matter where it is”.

Other environmentalists at the North Eastern Hill University, too, felt that long spells of dry spells could result, even though the main sources of water for the animals are inside the sanctuary and around its periphery.

“But during winter months some of these streams dry up and animals, especially primates, as well as birds venture out to the higher reaches in search of water,” said a villager who has been observing animals movements in the area for sometime. The issue of the power plant accident has other ramifications too. The Opposition is gearing up to attack the government on this issue during the winter session of the Assembly, scheduled to start on Tuesday.