The Forest Department has initiated steps for checking the forest fire in the reserve forests in the wake of the commencement of summer months.
The department has taken various preventive measures and the people living in the villages abutting the reserve forests and those visiting the forests have been warned against carrying articles such as match box, gasoline, cigarettes etc.
Campaign
The forest personnel have launched a special campaign in the South forest range in Salem Forest Division to check wildfire.
They visited the villages of Karipatti, Kurumbapatti, Yercaud, Servayan South, Kanjamalai, and Nagaramalai villages and distributed awareness pamphlets to the people containing the details of dos and don’ts near the forest areas.
The priority in forest fire is to prevent the fire from spreading. The department has already commenced the work of creating fire breaks (fire lines or barriers) inside the reserve forests to prevent the fire from spreading from one area to another.
The people should not carry any article that will easily catch fire and they have also been prohibited from smoking and cooking food inside the forests.
Any activity indulged in by the people that will lead to wildfire is severely punishable. People responsible for fire will be punished with an imprisonment ranging from six months to three years, forest source said.
The department has sought the cooperation of the people in protecting the forest wealth.
