Even as over 2,500 incidences of fire caused massive loss of natural wealth in the forests of Odisha during the past two months, the State government is yet to strengthen the reporting mechanism.
Widespread corruption in expenditure of funds earmarked for controlling forest fire is badly impacting the fire-fighting activities in division level.
Jungles across 24 districts have been affected by the fire this year. Incidences of forest fires are increasingly spreading since March this year. The Forest Survey of India through its satellite monitoring had spotted only 157 fire spots across the State in February.
As temperature soared and dry leaves fell on ground, forests across the State started to catch fire. In March, the number of forest fires suddenly jumped to 1,168. April that just ended witnessed fire damaging flora and fauna at 1,361 places.
Initial stages
“The fire can only be tamed at the initial stage before it becomes a conflagration that prevents anybody from even approaching it due to the intense heat. Hence, prompt response is required at the initial stage when the spark starts,” said Biswajit Mohanty, a prominent environmentalist.
Mr. Mohanty said: “There is no reason for roadside forest fires to occur. With vehicles and blowers at their disposals, forest department personnel could easily rush to douse it. This year, roadside forest fires even near the National Highways were noticed in Athagarh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal and Angul forest divisions.”
Lackadaisical approach of ground level staff to tackle forest fire was one of the major reasons for raging forest fires which apart from causing a huge loss to the timber and other fruit and leaf bearing trees, also destroy wildlife and their habitat. Nests and eggs of ground dwelling birds are lost. Reptiles also lose their young ones due to forest fires.
“We are receiving reports from different districts that whenever villagers or alert activists inform forest officials about the forest fire, they are discouraged to do so. In Pallahara Range of Deogarh forest division, even some persons, who saw forest fires, were threatened by departmental officials. Reason: nobody wants to take responsibility,” he said.
“Budgetary provision of Rs.14 crore has been made for fire squads. However, squad members are diverted for other duties like nursery, plantation and even domestic work of forest staff,” alleged Mr. Mohanty.
Four years ago, the Forest and Environment Minister had ordered setting up of a control room with toll free number to receive information about forest fire as well as wildlife smuggling. But the control room is yet to be made fully operational. “The situation is worsening. Unless, the department takes forest dwellers into confidence, it will not be able to contain fire,” said Prasanna Behera, an Angul-based environmentalist.
The forest fire has huge potential to increase man-elephant conflict. “As most fodder species of elephants are lost, jumbos are forced to enter the crop fields and backyard gardens of local villagers for food. Therefore, it is extremely important that forest fires be controlled by the department in the larger interest of forest wealth and wildlife,” Mr. Mohanty pointed out.
PTI adds:
Mercury goes up again
Meanwhile, after a brief relief from the scorching heat due to hailstorm-induced rainfall, the mercury soared in most parts of Odisha on Sunday as Bhawanipatna became the hottest place in the State at 45.5 degrees Celsius.
As the maximum temperature rose above 40 degrees C in at least 15 places, the mercury jumped to 45.5 in Bhawanipatna as against 40.5 recorded on Sunday, the Meteorological department said.
The maximum temperature in Bhubaneswar which had recorded 39.9 degrees C on Saturday touched 44 on Sunday, it said adding that Titlagarh in western Odisha also recorded 44 degrees C.
The coal town of Talcher recorded 43.7, followed by 43.2 in Dhenkanal, 43 in Balasore and Jharsuguda, 42.7 in Chandbali, 42.1 in Hirakud and 42 in Cuttack.
Most parts of the State had some relief from the gruelling heat for the last two days following hailstorm and rainfall on Friday and an overcast sky since then.
Thirteen deaths in the last few days have been confirmed as heat-related ones, according to the office of the Special Relief Commissioner. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the sunstroke death figure to 135.
