Forest fire incidents continue in Chenab region

Ramban, Dec 22: People and environment lovers have expressed concern over rising mysterious forest fire incidents since the last few weeks in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.

Report said amid dry spells more than two dozen forest fire incidents were reported during the month of December in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts. These frequent fires are razing forests rapidly in the region.

The forests in the area experienced frequent fires most of them due to manmade factors. The loss of significant forest cover is a big worry for the region.

OrganiSations helping to curb the fires said that the situation may get worse with the MeT department predicting more dry spell for the region.

On the other hand, in view of rising forest fire incidents, district administration Doda , Kishtwar , Ramban and the forest department have launched an awareness campaign to prevent forest fires incidents in the region.

The officials of the department educated the locals and students about the forest fire prevention measure. The officers said that the forest fires have a devastating effect on both the environment and forests.

The administration has appealed to the locals to help the Forest Department in controlling forest fire incidents.

A forest department officer said that setting forest fire is an offence under Indian Forest Act 1927 and a penalty of Rs 25000 or imprisonment 2 years or both is incurred.

He further said that a person who exercises any right in the forest is bound to extinguish fire,

inform the forest officials, discover and arrest the offenders.

Meanwhile a fresh forest fire broke out near SDH Gundoh late Sunday evening. A police official said the fire broke out near habitation in Gundoh. He said efforts are being made to control the fire spreading to adjoining forests and habitations. In another incident a fresh forest fire broke out in Dhandal , Kashtigarh area of Doda.

A local resident Javeed Ahmed informed over phone that a mysterious fire had broken out in dense forests of Dhandal and fire was spreading fast and engulfed the entire forest cover. He informed that hundreds of Deodar and pine trees were destroyed till late Sunday evening.