Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers will be pressed into service for water bombing to contain the forest fires that continue to ravage vast tracts of Bandipur forest in Karnataka.
While a location survey was conducted on Monday over Himavad Gopalswamy Betta range which is the worst affected due to the fires, the actual water dropping may commence from Tuesday morning.
The choppers, which did a reconnaissance and location survey on Monday, flew repeatedly around the Gopalswamy Betta range and were in constant communication with the forest department officials on the ground through their network.
Forest Minister Mr.S atish Jarkiholi who was monitoring the situation from the hill top in Bandipur told The Hindu that the choppers will do repeat sorties and water bomb the affected areas to contain the fire.
“The Nugu reservoir, which is only 30 km from Bandipur and the adjoining Kabini backwaters, will be the source to air lift water in buckets and water bomb the area smouldering with fire,” said a senior forest department official.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mr. Jayaram said he was in touch with the meteorological department, which said that the wind speed is expected to reduce by Wednesday. “The normal wind speed in these areas tend to be around 5 km per hour but since the last few days it was extremely windy with speed in the range of 15 km per hour which was stoking fire in new places,” he added.
