922 forest fires so far this year; admn on toes

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 29

Numerous incidents of forest fire in Uttarakhand have forced the state administration on their toes. Though Rs 500 crore has been sanctioned to the Forest Department from the State Disaster Relief Fund to meet forest fire exigencies, the move so far has proved inadequate to control the damage.

Records of the Forest Department reveal that two persons have died in 922 forest fires this season, but unconfirmed reports have pegged the toll at six.

Chief Conservator of Forests BP Gupta, who is also the nodal officer, said forest personnel were working round the clock to douse forest fires. The men on duty to douse forest fires were exhausted and hence their replacement was needed at the earliest.

The state administration, besides sanctioning Rs 500 crore, has also allocated Rs 800 crore from the compensatory afforestation fund to deal with forest fires.

Responding to a query, Gupta said there had been fire incidents reported from human settlements too which were being probed. He said some huts were burnt in the Gola area of Kumaon. Though it was not a forest fire, it has been cited as one.

A total of 922 forest fire incidents have taken place in the state this season affecting 1,600 hectares of forests. As per an estimate, forest wealth to the tune of Rs 15 lakh has been destroyed. Significantly, 20 such incidents have taken place in wildlife zones.

The Forest Department, at the start of the forest fire season, had on February 15 cancelled the leaves of forest employees in anticipation of fires in summer. With little rain last winter, incidents of forest fires are expected to rise in May and June. The Forest Department is also contemplating taking support of local villagers to extinguish forest fires. A total of 12,089 ‘van’ panchayats exist in the state and members of these panchayats have been pressed into service to deal with forest fires.

As per the data, two persons have been killed and three have sustained injuries in forest fires. Seven livestock have also perished.

Meanwhile, Governor KK Paul has issued directions for deployment of three platoons of the National Disaster Relief Force in the fire-affected areas. He has also appointed IG, Sanjay Gunjiyal as nodal officer, who will coordinate among the NDRF, concerned district magistrate and the state forest department.