2 dead as forest fires rage on in U’khand

Dehradun: Two people, including a forest fire watcher, have died in recent forest fire-related incidents in Uttarakhand. With rising temperatures, the state has been witnessing a surge in forest fire cases -- at least 309 of them since the summer forest fire season began -- which have gutted almost 258 hectares of jungles.

Rajinder Singh Negi, 42, a forest fire watcher, died after falling into a deep gorge while extinguishing a blaze in Chamoli forests on Wednesday evening. In a separate incident, Anju Devi, 50, died while trying to douse a fire that was raging in her farm in Tehri. Her charred remains were found by her son late Wednesday.

Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Chamoli, Sarvesh Dubey said, “A forest fire extinguishing team of 16 workers had gone to douse the fires in Dasoli area that had flared up around 3pm. About four hours later, I was told that one of the fire watchers was missing after which an overnight search operation took place. His body was subsequently found. He had slipped into a deep gorge.”

Incensed at the death, villagers gheraoed the DFO, demanding a relief package for the family. “Forest department will provide Rs 15 lakh to Negi’s widow. Everyone will give up a day’s salary for the cause. She will also be provided a job under the outsource provision,” added Dubey.

In the Tehri incident, local villagers claimed Anju Devi died while trying to douse a fire that was coming close to her farm. DFO, Tehri, Diganth Nayak, however, alleged that the woman was “caught in a farm fire incident caused by stubble burning as there was no fire in the forests of the area.”

Notably, at least 950 fire alerts were sent to the state on a single day by Forest Survey of India (FSI) on Thursday. Also, the state forest department data said that this summer season, fires have gutted maximum forests in Pauri (35 hectares) followed by Pithoragarh (25 ha) and Chamoli (24 ha). As reported by TOI a day earlier, the air quality index has breached the 390-mark in Pauri (considered ‘very poor’) for the first time as forest fires, biomass burning and vehicular emissions are adding pollutants to the air in the mountain valley.

Meanwhile, five FIRs were registered in Almora against anti-forest elements for “causing fire”. Almora DM Anshul Singh said forest fires were not merely an environmental matter, but a serious threat to biodiversity, wildlife, water sources and human life.

Similarly, in Uttarkashi, forest range officer (Barahat range), Mukesh Raturi, said that the fire which originated in a civil area was “ignited by miscreants”.

“We have 5,600 fire watchers and 6,000 forest staff working round the clock in coordination with other departments and village communities. Rising temperatures and drying forest floor moisture are leaving the forest land vulnerable to ignition,” said chief conservator of forests, Sushant Patnaik, who is also the state forest department’s nodal officer for forest fire and disaster management.

(Inputs from Ashish Mishra in Uttarkashi and Yogesh Nagarkoti in Bageshwar)