Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 20: High Court observed that the Government is taking multiple measures to avoid forest fires and closed the suo-moto cognizance taken by the Court on a news item carried in a newspaper.
The court had taken cognizance of a news item carried in one of the newspapers in April last year under the caption “Spring of smoke Kashmir’s forests continue to burn” and treated the same as Public Interest Litigation. The court sought response from the concerned authorities to the issue and the authorities responded with a detailed reply.
It was mentioned in the news item that more than 100 forest fires have erupted across Jammu and Kashmir over the past two weeks and have consumed over 200 acres of forest cover. District Anantnag was mentioned as the worst-hit so far as Kashmir province is concerned and in Jammu Division also, active blazes have been reported in Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda and Poonch.
The Forest Department through Chief Conservator Forests Kashmir Division in his affidavit said that in order to mitigate the forest fires, Forest Fire Control Rooms have been established at different levels in the respective Forest Divisions. Besides that, manpower from the Forest Protection Force and other Forest Wings has also been involved to control the forest fires. Additionally, awareness programs are being undertaken among the forest fringe communities.
The court, however, in view of the sensitivity of the matter appointed Nadeem Qadiri, Advocate, as an Amicus, just in case any fresh cause of action arises or anything that impels the intervention of this Court, to move an appropriate application in the present petition itself for necessary orders.
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