IAF in action to douse forest fires

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 1

In a major initiative to curb forest fires, two Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi 17 helicopters today sprayed water in severely fire-affected forest areas in the state. A helicopter was pressed into service in the Garhwal region and another in the Kumaon region. The raging fire has so far affected more than 23,000 hectares of forests in Uttarakhand.

A helicopter deployed in Nainital lifted water from the Bhimtal lake to spray it in the affected forests. The other helicopter at Srinagar Garhwal took water from the Koteshwar dam for the purpose.

Significantly, police personnel from Uttar Pradesh also reached Uttarakhand today to help douse forest fires. Personnel from the National Disaster Relief Force, the State Disaster Relief Force, the Forest Department, the Pranteey Rakshak Dal and other civil and police units from Uttarakhand are already working round the clock to douse the flames.

Chief Conservator of Forests BP Gupta, who is also the nodal officer for forest fires, said Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital districts have been declared sensitive vis-à-vis forest fires. He said 1,082 forest fire incidents had taken place in the state till date this season. The loss due to the environmental tragedy has been pegged at Rs 2 lakh.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary S Ramaswamy convened a meeting of forest officials today to review the efforts being undertaken to extinguish forest fires. The officials concerned informed that 40 master control rooms had been set up and around 6,000 persons were working round the clock to curb forest fires.

Besides Rs 8 crore released from the compensatory afforestration fund, an additional provision of Rs 14 crore has been made keeping in view the gravity of the situation. Ramaswamy said besides short-term efforts, long-term initiatives were required to deal with such challenges. Efforts were needed for water conservation, he added.

Meanwhile, the MeT department has forecast rain in Uttarakhand in two or three days. If rain occurs, it will be a great relief to the forest fire-hit state.