Ajay Raina
JAMMU, May 26: Massive fire broke out in various forest areas of Jammu Province today causing extensive damage to the flora and fauna.
According to the reports, massive fire was noticed in around 70 kilometers forest areas in Reasi, Nomian, Nandini, Sukhetar, Jagti and Sidhra but officials of the Forest Department were seen dousing the flames only in few areas.
“In several areas green gold has suffered extensive damage as in the absence of adequate manpower and fire fighting equipments the concerned Forest Divisions failed to launch fire control operation on a large scale”, reports said.
Apart from this belt, the forest areas in the Rajouri district including Badoon, Dassal Sera and parts of Nowshera were also seen in flames although locals residing in the vicinity of forests along with personnel from Army, SDRF and Forest Department were making efforts to control the inferno.
Four houses which were trapped in the forest fire at Thikriyan area of District Rajouri were also saved from getting damaged.
Reports of forest fire were also received from Chowki Choura-Kali Dhar forest range. “It is difficult to immediately ascertain the cause(s) behind fire incidents in such a large forest area but carelessness of the people residing in the vicinity of the forest is always the prime reason”, an official of the Forest Department said.
When contacted to ascertain the exact forest area involved in fire, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Hemant Sharma said, “this is purely the job of the Forest Department and they might have taken required steps to bring the fire under control”.
Meanwhile, Department of Fire and Emergency Services received 60 fire calls during the 12 hours, which are considered as maximum during the current summer season.
“All the fire tenders along with the fire fighters from all the Fire Stations in Jammu and its peripheries were on the job throughout the day to control the fire”, an officer of the Department told EXCELSIOR, adding “despite shortage of manpower and limited number of fire tenders no step was left unturned to timely reach the spot and douse the flames”.
Among these 60 fire incident, the major one had taken placed in Badyal Brahmana area of RS Pura tehsil in which several hutments of nomads were damaged.
“Despite being aware of increase in temperature people are not taking preventive measures and this is the main reason behind fire incidents”, the officer of Fire and Emergency Services Department said, adding “the prevailing situation is notwithstanding the fact that much awareness vis-à-vis preventive measures is generated ahead of summer season”.
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