Dehradun: Reviewing the situation in Uttarakhand where 2270 hectares of jungle is under blaze, Union Minister Rajnath Singh after holding discussion with chief secretary and state government officials, ensured full assistance from Centre’s side. The unfortunate incident has till now claimed seven lives.
The home minister yesterday discussed the situation with Governor K K Paul who briefed him about the hill state’s condition.
The government has decided to press two MI-17 helicopters into service as NDRF, SDRF and Army personnel struggled to douse the flames.
A total of 2270 hectares of green cover have been destroyed this fire season which had an early start on February 2 due to a dry winter. Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital are the worst-affected districts.
"922 incidents have occurred so far killing six people including three women and a child, injuring seven and blighting 1890.79 hectares of green cover," Principal Conservator of Forest (Research) BP Gupta said.
Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Almora and Nainital are the worst-affected districts, Gupta said.
While three NDRF teams and one SDRF company are busy dousing the flames in different parts of the state, two IAF choppers have been sent to Nainital and Pauri districts, among the worst hit, to spray water over the burning jungles, Raj Bhawan officials here said.
Official data for the past three years for Uttarakhand show that the area under forest fires has more than doubled this year. In 2014, it was 384.5 hectares while in 2015, it was 930.33 hectares. This year it has already touched 2,000 hectares.
Enough funds have been made available to all affected districts besides required personnel and equipment to deal with any situation, they said. “One MI-17 chopper has been stationed at Bhimtal near Nainital right which is being loaded with water collected from the waterbodies in the area and begin spraying water over affected areas from tomorrow,” Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh said.
Another IAF chopper sent to Pauri will operate in similar fashion, a Raj Bhawan official said. With forest fires still raging three NDRF teams have been deployed in Almora, Gauchar and Pauri and one team of SDRF in Nainital to extinguish the flames, Principal conservator of Forest B P Gupta said.
Rudraprayag forest division is also taking help from the army for fire fighting operations especially along the highway, he said. The casualties due to forest fires, which have spread to sparsely populated remote hill areas, have risen to six with another life claimed in Nainital district on Friday evening.
The deceased include three women and a child. Since the beginning of forest fire season in the state in February, 922 incidents have occurred so far in which seven were injured and 1890.79 hectares of green cover being affected, Gupta told PTI.
Worried over forest fires which are still raging in different parts of the state, Governor K K Paul reviewed the rescue efforts underway via videoconferencing with officials in the field and asked them to speed up their efforts. NDRF companies assisted by expert teams and locals are conducting fire extinguishing and rescue operations in affected areas of Garhwal and Kumaon regions.
IG Sanjay Gunjyal is coordinating with the NDRF, the district magistrates concerned and Principal Conservator of Forest to supervise the rescue operations.
(PTI inputs)
