A four-member Central team of experts has been sent to Uttarakhand to monitor the forest fire incidents. The team of experts consists of the executive director of National Institute of Disaster Management Professor Santosh Kumar, DIG of Forests SP Vashist, special director of Center for Fire Explosves and Environment Safety, KC Wadhwa along with the director of Delhi Fire Services, GC Misra, according to an official release.
Three Air Force helicopters (1 AlH and 2 MI-17) with Bambi bucket have also been deployed to assist the local administration in fire fighting efforts. In view of the urgency of the matter, the team of experts will submit its report to Ministry of Home Affairs within one week after taking the stock of situation.
It should also be mentioned here that earlier, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had spoken to the Uttarakhand Governor Krishan Kant Paul regarding the incidents of forest fires in the state and said that 116 rescuers in three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have already been sent to the State. The Centre is providing all necessary assistance to Uttarakhand state to control the forest fires and help in containing the damage, he added.