Seventy acres of forest gutted

Our Correspondent

Garhshankar (Hoshiarpur), June 16

A fire broke out that in a forest near Kot Rajputan village in Bet area reduced 70 acres to ashes. The fire originated at 11 am.

Soon, the fire and reached near the village. Villagers tried to control it but could not and later informed the fire brigade.

The Garhshankar police too reached the spot. By 3 pm, the fire was controlled.

A large number of trees, including rosewood, neem and mango were burned. Wild life in the area was also lost in fire.

When the fire brigade and police reached, the fire was just 30 m away from houses at the village.

Sarpanch Prashottam Singh and Rana Pravesh said if Forest Department employees would have reached the spot in time, much loss could have been prevented.