Public participation & coordination needed to check forest fires: Union Minister
Friday, 21 June 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Union minister of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Bhupendra Yadav visited the fire affected areas under the Narendra Nagar and Tehri forest divisions on Thursday. The Union minister is on a two-day visit to Uttarakhand.
He visited the fire affected areas in Shivpuri, Hindolakhal, Bemunda and Agrakhal forest ranges under Narendra Nagar forest division and inspected the preparations of the forest department. He also examined the measures adopted by the forest department and the support extended by locals to control forest fires.
The minister said that most of the forest fires in Uttarakhand occurred in the Pine forests. Conceding that the numbers of incidents of forest fires have increased, Yadav said that monitoring of fire incidents was done and an effort was made to find out the reasons for these fires. He claimed that the situation is under control now and added that the field inspection was necessary for having ground knowledge of the geographical conditions of the forest fire affected area.
Yadav emphasised on public participation and consent for controlling forest fires with coordination of administration and Forest department.
The minister said that Union and State governments are working in tandem to control forest fires. The minister held an interaction on the causes of forest fire with the rural women and men at Bemunda crew station. He also interacted with the employees of the Forest department and inspected the crew station. This crew station was set up to respond to the incidents of forest fires in the areas near the national highway.
In his visit the minister inspected the community development centre at Agrakhal. At Badshahi Thol, the Union minister held discussion with forest officers on forest fires. He stressed that the Forest department should intensify its preparations to check forest fires and should ensure that action on the complaints of forest fires is taken in the least possible time. Yadav also held interaction with the officers and employees of Forest department at forest range in Badshahi Thol.
Forest minister of Uttarakhand Subodh Uniyal, MLA Kishore Upadhayaya and senior officers of forest department were present on the occasion.
