Baripada, Oct. 3: Authorities of the Similipal Tiger Reserve distributed water purifiers to ensure better health care of its field employees.

Deputy director of the tiger reserve Ajit Satpathy said: "The field staff members have been provided with mobile water purifiers. This would ensure their accessibility to pure water during patrolling."

Around 320 water purifiers were distributed in 64 camps to each employee of the Similipal Special Tiger Protection Force in a two-day camp inside the core area. Drivers and mahouts were also given one purifier each.

These water purifiers are capable of purifying 400 to 500 litres of crude water, reducing the risk of water borne-diseases. Several organisations such as the Conservation Consortium India, PROWL, Sangram and the Eureka Forbes came forward for the project.

"The initiative to provide clean drinking water is only for the frontline staff members of the tiger reserve as they are often exposed to unhygienic drinking water during patrolling," said Sandip Mishra, a representative of one of the voluntary organisations associated with the programme.

"This programme is continuous, and the candles of the purifiers will be replaced every year," he said.

Honorary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya said: "The field staff members of the tiger reserve don't always get pure and hygienic drinking water, especially during patrolling when they have to sustain on unhygienic water for days."

"They can't carry heavy loads of water and conduct patrolling in the hostile patches. They are, therefore, forced to consume unhygienic and stagnant water. As a result, they often fall prey to various water-borne diseases. Water related ailments are being reported by 30 to 40 guards every week," he said.

The tiger reserve has 75 beat houses and 23 forest guard points inside the core area, which are manned by forest guards and 328 tiger protection force employees.