Odisha Govt. Claimed Jungle Inferno is contained to a Great Extent in Similipal National Park
Bureau,Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar:Odisha Government on Wednesday claimed that the jungle inferno is contained to a great extent in Similipal National Park and other places even as the people of Mayurbhanj district observed a 9-hour shutdown to protest against the State Government’s alleged failure to control the forest fire.
The timely actions taken through different agencies by the State Government has resulted in the containment of the ongoing forest fire in the State to a great extent and the situation is well under control, said Sandeep Tripathy, the chief of the Task Force on forest fire.
As against 290 fire points across Odisha on Tuesday, the number has come down to 268 in the last 24 hours. “The fire in Similipal is totally contained and today only 24 points are detected, which are being attended in the field,” Tripathy said.
He said Similipal Tiger Reserve is spread over 2,750 sq km and includes 2306.6 sq km of sanctuary. The entire area is divided into 209 beats. To abate the fire, in addition to 750 regular staff, protection assistants and 800 additional fire watchers have been placed into service. Four more Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams of 25 members each are also engaged along with 20 Fire Service personnel, he said. A total of 10 ODRAF teams have been deployed.
Apart from using around 400 leaf blowers to disconnect fire lines in Similipal, Tripathy said mass awareness drive is being taken up by way of conducting about 600 awareness meetings on forest fire prevention involving panchayati raj institution (PRI) members, Mission Shakti, local tribal leaders and volunteers in Similipal landscape.
All the staff, squads, ODRAF teams, fire personnel, Vana Surakshya Samiti (VSS) and PRI members are in the field with full preparedness. Sub-collectors, BDOs, Tehsildars and IICs have started public sensitisation programme in fire vulnerable areas. These concerted efforts have led to the containment of fire in Similipal, Tripathy claimed. “No damage to wildlife or humans have so far been reported from the field,” he said.
The Forest department, in letters to the Director General of Police and DG Fire Service, sought their active cooperation in dousing fire in 26 of the State’s 30 districts where fire incident reports are received.
Meanwhile, in a major relief to the forest authorities and the environment lovers, a mild rain with thundershower was experienced at Karanjia forest range, adjacent to the Similipal National Park.
“The rain in the Karanjia range of Mayurbhanj is certainly welcome. Before the rain, the fire has been controlled in the Karanjia forest range area,” Tripathy said.
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