Bhatt seeks inclusion of forest fires in list of natural disasters in Himalayan States

Saturday, 10 AUGUST  2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN

Rajya Sabha member and Bharatiya Janata Party State president Mahendra Bhatt raised the issue of definition of compensation in cases of forest fires in the Himalayan States in the parliament. Eliciting the focus of the government, Bhatt also requested that such accidents should be included in the list of natural disasters. Additionally, forest fires should be properly defined in the standards in the State disaster relief fund, he said.

Speaking in the Upper House, he said that there has been a considerable rise in fire accidents in Uttarakhand in recent years and often such mishaps are stated to be caused by humans which is not appropriate. In most cases this is not possible in the State which leads in tree plantation. Climate change and other factors are causing a rise in forest fires in mountainous regions. The pirul (dry pine needles) is a major reason for such fires. The government is buying pirul at Rs 50 per kilogramme to mitigate this factor, for which the cooperation of the Centre is also expected. Despite the majority of the State’s area being under forest cover, wildfires are not included in natural disasters. He requested the government to include forest fires in the list of natural disasters in Himalayan States. Further, defining fire accidents in the State disaster relief fund standards will make it easier to provide compensation to the affected persons, he added.