Forest officials at Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) have failed to deal with the forest fire due to shortage of funds. According to DFO P Anand, there was no money to beat the fire at PTR which is very common during summer season.
“I do not know as to how fire line cutters will be paid their wages” he asserted. He said “Our entire energy is to save Betla National Park out of the bounds of the fire.” But how long this process will take, he is not sure.
Sources said the outbreak of fire is from Bareysarn Garu to Mandal. The DFO does not deny this, he says that the fire is a surface fire and as such tigers, leopards, hyena and other carnivores are capable of taking care of them but for animals living on grasses the fire is taking away their food.
Sources said the forest survey of India has captured the burning sites of the tiger reserve through the satellite. The data has been sent to PTR through e mails, confirmed Anand.
The fire has destroyed the biodiversity enormously. Birds who lay eggs on grounds are the repentant ones now. Snakes which fail to climb trees too are the prey of the surface fire raging the tiger reserve.
The Kendu leaf pluckers and Mahua fruit/seed pickers are to be blamed for fire in the PTR, cried Anand. The Mahua fruit and seed pickers burn the lower grasses to have a fine pick of the fruit seeds of Mahua. The Kendu leaf plucker burn fire for fresh lease of Kendu leaves as each leave is money to the labourers.
Sources said there has never been any case registered for fire as no one knows as to who has put the fire. The fire in the PTR is mostly man made and in rare case it is accidental.