Cuttack, March 2: The sudden rise in temperature has now forced officials of the municipal corporation to undertake special measures to protect animals from the scorching heat at the deer park here.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has decided to convene an emergency meeting to ensure that adequate measures are taken to provide a cooler ambience to the animals at the deer park.

Sources said the civic body has decided to consult senior veterinary officials to review the diet and fodder that can be provided to the animals to protect them from dehydration.

"Adequate rest sheds will be built for the animals to assemble for food and water. After consulting the experts, a special diet chart will be prepared for the animals," said Ramjan Khan, councillor of ward No. 16.

Khan said the civic body usually constructs four temporary rest sheds during the summer. As the mercury is already on the rise, steps will be taken to construct the temporary rest sheds at the earliest.

The number of rest sheds might be increased to six from four after reviewing the heat wave condition in the second week of March.

Usually, special fruits rich water content, including watermelon, cucumbers and other green vegetables, are provided to the animals during summer season.

The animals are provided with fresh grass and deer feed on a daily basis, while 30 kg of additional diet, including high water content fruits, will become part of their menu.

Senior officials said that water sprinklers would also be used every day to bring down the temperature inside the park. Sources said that though there were two permanent rest sheds, the civic body has already made plans to construct two additional concrete structures inside the park.

Besides, a detail plan is also being made to resolve basic problems at deer park that is now home to over 160 animals.

The process of levelling the ground inside the park to fix the natural slope that was causing stagnation of rainwater due to absence of drainage channel here has already started.

The move is likely to resolve the accumulation of rainwater inside the deer park, which has emerged as a major problem for the civic body.

A proposal has also been mooted to upgrade the existing drainage channels in and around the deer park for a permanent solution to the accumulation of rainwater.

Corporation officials said that high power motor pumps would be installed near the deer park to facilitate easy discharge of the wastewater from nearby localities as well as from inside the park.

The work for the construction of a pumping station has already started and it will become functional shortly.