Questions are being raised in conservation circles on whether the fire in Bandipur could have been avoided through adequate preventive measures.
There are rumours doing the rounds that precautionary measures like completing the fire lines that act as a fire break were not completed. NGOs involved in wildlife activism argue that the focus was on taking up sundry civil works rather than beefing up firefighting capabilities.
However, forest officials said they had recruited additional watchers on a temporary basis and deployed them in fire-prone zones, as they usually do. In Bandipur, around 400 watchers were recruited. Besides, trainees and guards on probation from other parts of the State were deployed, according to Chief Conservator of Forests Ambadi Madhav.
The fire was particularly intense this year as Bandipur had a surfeit of fuel in the form of dry vegetation. “The copious rains during monsoon followed by unseasonal rains till November helped in the luxurious growth of vegetation. But the forest is dry deciduous in nature and more the vegetation, more the fuel,” Mr. Madhav said.
Besides, there is profuse growth of lantana and epatorium in Bandipur, with the weeds covering almost 60% of the forest. Both weeds are hardy and highly combustible, and this coupled with wind during February added to the severity of the fire this year. But NGOs argue that lantana is prevalent in other national parks as well and no fires have been reported there.
Forest Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the fire was “an act of sabotage”. “We will use drones to help detect smoke so that fire can be identified and put out before it goes out of control. The assistance of the Fire and Emergency Services [personnel] will be taken during the onset of summer and they will be put on standby as backup,” he added.
However, NGOs say the Forest Department has to rope in the local community to help detect fires before they go out of control, but it has so far failed on this front.