The Himalaya Environment and Employment Cooperative Society president Ashok Thapliyal has filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, against the State of Uttarakhand regarding protection of environment and ecology against the backdrop of forest fires wreaking havoc almost every year.
The petitioner asked details over what the respondent has done to stop forest fires in the State and how the purchased instruments are being operated to stop the menace. hapliyal said that the forest department has purchased instruments costing Rs1.50 crore for protecting forests from fire in December 2013. But the forest fire keeps continuing unhindered worrying forest lovers and the environmentalists.
He further said such fires start in March every year and become severe in May-June during peak summer. In June 2014, forest fire in Garhwal division in Pauri district charred 310 hectares of forests in just seven days. The forest fires are among the major leading causes to degradation of forest in India. As per the Forest Survey of India, which is based on field inventory, about 53 per cent of India’s forest are prone to fire.
Of this, nine per cent forest area is affected by the fire while for 44 per cent, such fire incidents occur occasionally. The forest department of Uttarakhand has 13 circles, 44 divisions, 284 ranges and 1569 beats. The total forest area under various classes of the state is 37999.53 Sq km, which is 71 per cent of the State’s geographic area.
In the State, according to FSI, the very dense forest is 4002 sq km, moderately dense forest 14396 sq km and open forest 6004 sq.km. About 19 per cent area of the State is under permanent snow cover, glaciers and steep slopes where it is not possible to grow trees due to physical limitation. Thapliyal said that the NGT has admitted the petition and 25 February has been fixed for the matter to be taken up.