The National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Governments on Friday to submit crisis management plan for prevention and control of forest fires to the Environment Ministry within two weeks. As per the latest official figures, forest fires witnessed nearly 55 per cent increase in forest fires in 2016, as compared to 2015.
The green panel further directed the Environment Ministry to file the details of the States which have not responded to their reminder and have not submitted the crisis management plan in relation to protection and controlling of forest fire.
It also directed the Governments to State the causes of such fires which they have found as a result of their studies and the action plan which they have prepared.
“We make it clear that in the event of default, the MoEF and both the States would be liable to pay heavy costs which will not less than Rs 50,000,” said the green bench. It was hearing a plea against the massive forest fires in the hill areas. The matter is now listed for hearing on September 27.
Close on the heels of massive forest fire in Uttarakhand in April-May this year, NGT had issued show cause notices to the two States on the issue, observing that it was shocked that everybody was taking the issue “so casually”, especially when the massive forest fires in large parts of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have also reached Jammu & Kashmir.
Meanwhile, as per official figures 24,817 forest fires have been reported this year till June as against 15,937 cases in 2015. Among them, there were 2,808 in Chhattisgarh 2,763 from Odisha and 2,675 in Madhya Pradesh till June this year. The other cases of forest fire include 1874 in Maharashtra, 1,766 in Assam, 1105 in Manipur, 1318 in Mizoram, 1501 in Uttarakhand besides 1699 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.