NITI Aayog directs formation of joint working group to tackle forest fires in mountainous States

Thursday, 13 JUNE 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN

The NITI Aayog will form a joint working group involving the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct a detailed study of recurring forest fires in Uttarakhand,. The newly elected MP from Garhwal and Bharatiya Janata Party national media in-charge Anil Baluni met the NITI Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery expressing concern about the recurring wildfires in Uttarakhand and the resulting damage. Bery talked about the formation of a joint working group in response to the concern expressed by Baluni.

The Garhwal MP told Bery about the recent forest fires and the resulting damage in Uttarakhand, stating that such incidents have become regular in Uttarakhand and other mountainous States. These forest fires damage the environment and cause problems for the wildlife. Additionally, the wildfires also cause damage to human life and property, which also dents the economy. He stressed that long term policies are needed to tackle this problem. Separate budgetary provision should also be made for mountainous States to tackle this problem to ensure that the environment in the mountainous regions is maintained. Baluni said that States need coordination and cooperation from the Centre for this purpose.

Bery directed departmental officials to study the steps being taken in foreign nations to tackle this problem and to prepare a detailed report on the same. He said that coordination should be established among the MoEFCC, MHA and Finance ministry to address this issue.