Baripada, June 12: The forest department has initiated measures for rainwater conservation.

The department has decided to construct bunds, mainly on the foothills and slopes to hold the flowing of rainwater.

The deputy director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, Ajit Satpathy, said: "For the very first time, the department has come up with an idea to arrest the flowing of rainwater by creating dams. Accordingly funds have been released."

Divisional forest officer of Balasore Harsh Bardhan Udgata said: "Only 21 per cent of rainwater is being utilised and the rest is wasted. Since the forest area is more than 33 per cent in the state, it has been suggested that if the run-off water from the forest regions is stored, it will be a great help for groundwater recharge."

"Seventy forest ranges of the state have been selected for pilot project," Udgata said.

Each forest range has been given Rs 10 lakh from the compensatory afforestation fund management and planning authority fund for the construction of bunds. A training for the purpose was organised in Baripada on June 8, which was attended by the divisional forest officers of Balasore, Baripada, Karanjia, Rairangpur and Similipal Tiger Reserve.

Experts on soil conservation explained the forest personnel the benefits of constructing bunds in the contours and slopes.