Expressing serious concern over two successive instances of fire in the Amrabad Tiger Reserve, in which a total of 26 hectares of forest land was burnt, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HOFF) R. Shoba has asked all district-level forest officials to be on constant alert.
Addressing the forest officials and staff through a video conference on Wednesday, Ms. Shoba asked them to take fire prevention measures.
In view of summer round the corner, utmost priority should be given to prevention of fire incidents in forests. Awareness programmes should be taken up on forest paths and abutting villages, to sensitise people about prevention of accidents, she said.
During past survey, a total of 1,106 compartments in 43 forest ranges have been identified as fire-prone. Ms.Shoba has directed constitution of quick response teams with five members, vehicle, and blowers for fire extinguishing. Fire lines should be demarcated in all compartments to prevent spread of fire, she said.
Forest fires are being monitored through satellites by the Forest Survey of India, and mobile alerts about fire accidents are issued to officials concerned and also to the nearest village secretary. So far, a total of 11,700 names and phone numbers have been registered for this purpose, a statement from the department said.
Funds will be made available in all districts for taking fire prevention measures, Ms. Shoba assured, and asked the officials to be on guard till May. Travellers should be sensitised against throwing lit stubs of cigarettes and beedis, and also against making fire for cooking inside forests, especially in view of the Medaram jatara, she said.
The meeting also discussed forest rejuvenation, urban forest parks, works taken up with CAMPA funds, compensatory afforestation, and nurseries for next Haritha Haram season.
PCCFs Lokesh Jaiswal, R.M. Dobrial, Swargam Srinivas, and others were present in the meeting.