Dehradun: With the beginning of the most sensitive time to prevent the forest fires, the state’s forest department has fixed the accountability of its senior officials.
Top officials, the chief forest conservator and principal forest conservator, will play the role of the nodal officers at the district-level. The department has also given special emphasis on community participation to control forest fires across the state.
Forest fire is a major problem in Uttarakhand
The forest fire is a major problem which the environmentally sensitive hill state Uttarakhand faces every year. For the past few years, it has been observed that forest fire incidents occur in any season. However, the most sensitive period for the forest fire begins from February and continues till the arrival of Monsoon.
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“Agni Kal” (Forest fire season) begins
This period is also referred to as “Agni Kal” (forest fire season) in the local language. This year also recorded a few incidents of forest fires with the beginning of “Agni Kal” in Chamoli district and some parts of Kumaon region. This year, special focus has been given on the proper monitoring of the government’s strategies to prevent forest fires.
Forest fire management committees in sensitive areas
The government has worked out a special plan to prevent forest fires this year. Each village forest fire management committee, constituted in the sensitive areas, will be given rupees 30000 as an incentive amount. The groups, which will do excellent work in each district, will also be given incentive amounts separately.
Senior officials to remain in the field
The top officials, including chief forest conservator, and additional forest conservator, will remain in the field and function as nodal officers. They will coordinate with the field officers in the districts. They will also help solve the problems in the way of fire control. Besides, they will motivate local people to participate in the campaign to control the forest fires.
Increasing people’s participation
With an aim to increase people’s participation in pine-dominated forest divisions to control forest fires, village forest fire management committees, headed by the village chiefs, have been constituted. Around 400 such committees have already come into existence. These committees will initiate their steps to control forest fires in their areas concerned.
