Uttarakhand Forest Fires: National Disaster Response Force Teams Sent In
Dehradun: Raging forest fires in Uttarakhand
prompted the Centre to send in three companies of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF to
put out the flames
and conduct rescue operations. In all, 135 personnel have been pushed into service in the hill state, sources said.
Governor KK Paul had asked for the NDRF's help to deal with the crisis. He had, on Thursday, doubled the number of state personnel deployed to tackle the fires to 6,000. A high-level meeting he chaired of the state's top officials also decided to provide water tankers to put out fires.
Since early February, 922 incidents of forest fires in the state have
been reported in which five people, including three women and a child,
died in separate incidents, the news agency Press Trust of India. Seven
others were injured, Principal Conservator of Forest (PCF) BP Gupta
said.
"The NDRF companies, assisted by experts, will launch fire extinguishing and rescue operations in affected areas immediately," Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh said, adding the focus is on taking precautions to minimise loss to forest wealth and wildlife.
Inspector General of Police Sanjay Gunjyal has been deputed to coordinate with the NDRF, the district magistrates concerned and Principal Conservator of Forest to supervise the rescue operations, he said.
Locals have being told to report a fire incident to the district magistrate concerned as soon as they sight it so that it can be controlled in time.
Forest fires are natural during summer but this time they have occurred on a bigger scale. The forest fire season which normally begins by mid February, started on February 2 when two women were charred to death in the jungles of Uttarkashi, the PCF said.
Since early February, 922 cases of forest fire incidents in the state have occurred killing five people.
The PCF said the scale of forest fires in Uttarakhand this time has been bigger due to little or no rain during winter at most places.
Pre-fire alerts listing possible fire points over the next seven days in forest areas are being made available on the Forest Department website www.forest.uk.govt.
Former chief minister Harish Rawat has asked the governor to declare
Uttarakhand as fire-disaster stricken state and involve locals in fire
extinguishing efforts.
Uttarakhand Forest Fires: National Disaster Response Force Teams Sent In
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