Uttarakhand government has cancelled leaves of forest department officers and employees to tackle the escalating incidents of forest fires in the state.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami affirmed the government’s commitment to forest fire prevention during a media briefing in Haldwani today emphasizing proactive measures being undertaken.
In order to review the situation after the recent forest fire in Nainital district, Mr. Dhami led an aerial survey earlier today. He assured that stringent measures will be taken against individuals found guilty for igniting the blaze.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to quell the forest fires in Nainital, with the assistance of MI-17 helicopters from the Indian Air Force. Progress has been made in containing the blaze, which has spread over several hectares.
According to the latest bulletin from the State Forest Fire and Disaster Management, a total of 598 forest fire incidents have been reported in the hill districts of Garhwal and Kumaon divisions, affecting an area of around 724 hectares.
The Kumaon division has recorded the highest number of incidents, reaching 329. The financial toll on the forest wealth due to these fires has been estimated at more than 14 lakh 99 thousand rupees.
Disclaimer: This press release is sourced from News On AIR, Prasar Bharti and Press Information Bureau India (PIB).
