Forest fire continuing to take its toll, it is learnt that it has spread to over 674.58 hectares of forest lands in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. It has also
affected the populated areas in the vicinity of the forests. Things are grim as both the reserve and civil forests have come under the fire.
It is learnt that in just one week, 398 incidents of forest fire have been reported till Wednesday and they damaged over 674.58 hectares of forest. The forest fire reached near the Commissioner’s office on Tuesday. A van stranded there was burnt near the block office in Pauri.
As per the office of the chief conservator of forest Pauri, till Wednesday 179 incidents of fire occurred in Garhwal circle that burnt about 253.70 hectors while 118 fire incidents affected 129.50 hectors in Bhagirathi circle. Besides, 22 fire incidents have affected 57.60 hectors of forests in Yammuna circle.
In Garhwal forest circle, out of 353.70 hector forest being affected, 123.45 hector has been burnt in reserve forest area while the fire affected 230.25 hectors in civil forest area.
Conservator of forest Garhwal Circle G S Sonar said that due to the fire, eight hector area of plantation has been affected, leaving 2800 plants destroyed. Around 52.75 hectors of forest have borne the brunt of the forest fire in Garhwal forest division with the figures for the reserve forest and civil forest standing at 22 and three. In Civil Soyam division, 78 incidents occurred by which 16.50 hectors of forest have been burnt. Besides, two and half hectors of plantation have been affected by the forest fire damaging 1000 plants.
In Badrinath division, 45 fire incidents have occurred, affecting 71.50 hector forest while in Alaknanda circle, five such fire incidents have occurred, affecting 6.75 hectors of civil forest. In Rudraprayag division, 26 fire incidents have occurred and 57.20 hectors of civil and reserve forest have been affected. Sonar said that due to forest fire, 10.50 hector of plantation has been affected and 3800 plants damaged across the five divisions.
Divisional forest officer Garhwal division Ramesh Chandra said most of such incidents are occurring due to human faults. One person from Banga Malla village has been arrested for burning forest in civil forest area. Investigation is on following whose completion more would be arrested.
It is also learnt that 81 fire personnel deputed to control the forest fire in the division are struggling against fund crunch. lansdowne Division DFO Nitish Mani Tripathi said that PRD jawans have been deployed in the division to control the forest fire.