Baripada: Every year, parts of the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district face the brunt of forest fires due to human intervention. These wildfires keep on raging for days together and destroy flora and fauna during the summer. This has become a cause of concern for the district administration as well as the sanctuary authorities. Keeping this development in view, a recently-formed district-level fire management committee has included a part of the Similipal sanctuary in its action plan aimed at preventing fires during the summer of 2023. The plan will be put in place from December so that all norms are in order to prevent wildfires from breaking out during the summer months. The committee will be headed by District Collector Vineet Bhardwaj while officials of various departments will be included as members.
Moreover, awareness drives to prevent forest fires will be launched in villages located on the peripheries of the Similipal National Park. Local residents will be included in the awareness campaign and they will be sensitised on prevention of fires. They will also be taught ways to douse fires quickly in case it breaks out inside the forest. Field director of the Similipal Tiger Project, T Ashok Kumar informed that local youths have been included in the firefighting teams. This is because the Forest department is suffering from staff crunch. Firefighting exercises will be carried out from January 15 to June-end, 2023. As the tourist season is underway, visitors are being thoroughly checked before they enter the sanctuary area.
The departmental staff has been pressed into service at different tourist sites inside the sanctuary, Ashok informed. Deputy Director of Similipal Tiger Project, Samrat Goud said that strict vigil is being maintained to prevent the outbreak of forest fires. He added that teams will be kept ready 24×7 to nip in the bud any impending sign of wildfires.
