Effect is there for all to see; cause to be tackled
As forest fires continue to rage across the hills of Uttarakhand, there are two issues that need attention: First, allegations that the timbre mafia set off the fires (as well as other man-made causes), and second, natural causes that spark these fires. In the first case, it goes without saying that the allegations need to be investigated forthwith, and stringent action must be taken against those found guilty. At the same time, it must also be pointed out that the public needn't jump to conclusions before official investigations are completed.
Most of the accusations have been made through social media, and while they may be well-intentioned, they are not necessarily reflective of the full truth. For example, as has been rightly pointed, the timbre mafia does stand to benefit from the forest fire, but so does the forest department which earns significant revenue from the auction of dead trees. The two are also known to collude with each other to line their pockets. However, at the same time, there have also been reports of large amounts of unsold timbre piling up in places like Haldwani, where repeated auctions have failed to clear the stocks. This throws a spanner in the timbre mafia narrative. Additionally, there have also been suggestions that real estate developers, looking to build hotels and resorts in the hills but restrained by land-use laws, may be working with the locals to set off the fires, as a first step to ‘occupying’ these pristine lands. This too is a possibility, though even in this case there isn't much evidence to back up the allegation.
This then brings us to the other set of causes that leads to forest fires, stemming from natural elements. In this context, it is important to understand that, while the forest fires may seem shocking to city folks or those who have never lived in the mountains, it is a routine affair for the locals. Every year, during the dry season, the forests become a tinderbox — even lighting a matchstick can sometimes lead to a massive fire. Moreover, the villagers also deliberately light fires to burn the fallen leaves that block the narrow mountain pathways. These too can lead to a bigger blaze. This year, the situation seems to have been especially bad due to a combination of factors — unusually high temperatures and low precipitation (forget about winter rains, even the pre-summer rains of April were uninspiring). This is possibly one of the main reasons why the fires have spiralled out of control this time.
The question is: What can be done to contain the firesIJ Apart from long-term measures to fight climate change on the one hand and vested interests seeking to destroy the forests on the other, in the short term, it is imperative to better equip those fighting the fires on the frontlines — the forest officials and the daily-wage workers engaged with the forest department. Under-staffed, poorly-paid and ill-equipped, these officials and labourers are hardly in a position to respond to the challenges at hand. They have no fire-fighting uniforms, tools or even fire extinguishers in many instances. Often, they go out into the forests without water or medicines even. Every day, there are reports of fire-fighters being grievously injured. At least, three have already lost their lives, bringing the overall death toll to six. These issues need to be fixed.