The move of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) authorities to set fire to dry bamboo clumps inside the sanctuary has sparked off sharp protest among environmentalists in the district.
“The WWS authorities have already burned hundreds of dry bamboo clumps on both the sides of the National Highway 212 under the sanctuary as a part of eliminating combustible material on behalf of the possible forest fire threat at the advent of the summer season,” N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, said.
“Now they have started to set fire to bamboo clusters under the four forest ranges of the sanctuary, especially the dry bamboos adjacent to human settlements and on the banks of the Nugu River,” he added.
The dry bamboos on the banks of the rriver are a safe haven for different species of avian population, lower mammals, and reptiles. Mr. Badusha said many birds had been nesting on the bamboo pods during breeding season and the barbaric move of the Forest Department would not only destroy their habitat but also burn them alive.
Moreover, the alleged activities caused extensive damage to the newly germinated bamboo seedlings after the massive blooming of the plant all across the sanctuary, he added. The Supreme Court had banned all types of extraction, including controlled burning, inside the sanctuary and the stance of the authorities in this regard could not be justified, Mr. Badusha said.
The possible fire threat could be tackled effectively by constructing fire lines on the border of the sanctuary and by sensitising the public living on forest fringes to the gravity of the situation, he added. It was reported that nearly 450 hectares of bamboo groves had dried in the sanctuary after the massive blooming of the plant since 2006.
