Sprinkling water through choppers would not help in putting out the forest fire in Uttarakhand, said the Director-General (forest), Government of India, SS Negi, while interacting with the media on Saturday. Such massive fires, occurring in every three or four years, should be dealt with as a colossal challenge by all, he said.
"The local residents should also be involved in the task of dousing the forest blaze. Manpower must be adequately raised to make forest fire a thing of the past," Negi said.
He said that the State senior forest officers have been directed to submit a proposal involving funds and manpower required to adequately cope with the menace. The Central Government will provide all the possible assistance in the matter, he added.
Negi said that he held a meeting with the forest officers and reviewed the works being done by them to control the fire incidents in the State. He expressed satisfaction over the works being performed by the forest officers despite the limited resources at their disposal. "Besides, three teams of NDRF have been pressed into operation by the Centre to douse the raging forest fires in Pauri, Chamoli and Almora," he said.
G Singh, a forest officer, said that the forest department is seeking support from the district administration, police and other departments in the matter. A 100 PRD personnel are being deployed too, he added.
In Rudraprayag, the department is taking help from Indian Army, he further said.
He said that one can inform the forest department through What'sApp number 7455054828 and Van Mitra number 9208008000 and emergency service number 108.
The strength of manpower deployed to deal with forest fire has been doubled. Around 6,000 officials are engaged to douse the fire against 3,000 earlier, said the officer.
To make the fire-dousing machinery more effective, 500 fire department officials have been involved too. SDRF personnel are also pressed into service and they have been asked to provide all necessary help to the district officials concerned, he said. Turn to Page 4
Choppers won't help: DG
People are being made more aware through public awareness campaign about the adverse impact that results from burning of garbage near the forests, throwing into the forests bidis and cigarettes and burning forests to clear them for fresh, new grass, he said.
They are also being made aware of the bad effects the forest fires are leaving on the wild animals.
Singh said that in reserved forest area, 569 incidents of fire have been reported which included 295 in Garhwal, 176 in Kumaon and 126 in wildlife area. In civil/van panchayat area, 326 fire incidents were reported which include 222 in Garhwal, 85 in Kumaon and 19 in wildlife area. Around 1890.79 hectares have been affected due to fire in the State, he said.
In order to put control on fire incidents in forest area, 40 master control rooms have been set up. Moreover, 506 permanent sets, 199 mobile sets, 1631 handsets and 35 repeater stations have been set up so that firemen can swiftly respond after incidents of fire being reported. As many as 94 watch towers have been set up too across the State, he said.
Besides, 14,000 villagers and watchers and forest employees are being trained on the matter of fire fighting, he informed.