Keonjhar: At a time when Similipal wildlife sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district continues to battle a wildfire, forest officials in Keonjhar have launched efforts to ensure that the district’s forests do not fall prey to the blaze. They are using a ‘forest fire line’ to prevent fire from breaking into the forest from one compartment to another. The collected litter, which is mostly dry leaves, was burnt in isolation.
Reports said that the fire spreads only if there is a continuous supply of dry vegetation along the path of fire. The forest officials in Palashpanga forest section under Sadar forest range in Keonjhar forest division have launched efforts to contain the forest fire with the involvement of women self-help groups (SHGs) and the local Vana Suraksha Samitis (VSSs) comprising the vigilant villagers in the area. Learning from past experiences, the forest officials are leaving no stone unturned to ensure no forest fire takes place in the jungle. The program will soon be extended to other parts of the district, sources said.
Meanwhile, awareness meetings on forest fires have been organised by the Vana Suraksha Samitis at Aharpasi, Kandrapasi, Amunipur, Naigaon, and Sandiapasi villages under Palshpanga forest section. The women members joined the programme and completed the work on the fire lines. They have roped in the members of 16 women SHGs and undertaken the clearing of vegetation and controlled burning of the same to create bald patches of land across the boundary line of the forest to prevent the fire from spreading further into other areas in the jungle.
Meanwhile, the program is underway in the Baulamala and Kashirapatna areas where the forest officials with the assistance of Vana Suraksha Samitis are completing the work on fire lines with the active involvement of women SHGs. Attending a program organised by Baulamala Vana Surakasha Samiti, Palashpanga forester Jaikruhsna Das, forest guard Subhasini Giri and members of Vana Surakasha Samiti explained the role of villagers in containing forest fires. Later, the participating villagers also took a pledge to protect the forest from fire and other threats.
