Baripada: There is no let-up in wildfires at the Similipal National Park (SNP) in Mayurbhanj district. In the last three months 452 fire points have been identified, sources said Monday. Wildfires are increasing rapidly at SNP which is the second-largest biosphere reserve in Asia. Even though forest officials, firefighters and locals are dousing the fires, they have not been able to fully contain the blaze.
As a result, core areas of the forest are facing the heat with fires spreading there. There are over 1,076 types of plant species, 94 types of orchids, 604 varieties of medicinal plants, 45 species of mammals, 304 types of birds, 62 different kinds of reptiles and 20 amphibians in SNP, officials said. The wildlife sanctuary which used to be a storehouse of oxygen is now billowing out smoke-filled carbon dioxide. The worst affected are the herbivorous animals and birds. Due to the extreme heat, the animals and birds are seeking shelters elsewhere.
In the process, they are coming out of the forests and falling prey to poachers. Due to the wildfires, animals and birds are facing acute food shortages. Among the herbivorous animals, deer, sambhar, elephants, rabbits, wild boars, and the livestock of people living on the foothills of SNP depends on plantations and grass inside the forest. With acres being razed, the survival of these animals is at stake. Locals pointed out that the existing fires inside SNP will be difficult to douse because summer has already set in. Local outfit ‘Bhanja Sena’ has warned that they will launch agitations in front of the district collectorate in Baripada if the fire is not brought under control soon.
Sources said that the fire is spreading in SNP and the adjoining forests under Baripada, Rairangpur and Karanjia divisions under Baripada circle. According to details available from the satellite mapping conducted by the Forest Survey of India, 97 places under North and South forest divisions of Similipal Tiger Reserve are burning.
According to reports 72 points under North forest division and 25 points in South division have caught fire. The flames are rapidly spreading and in the process devouring greenery. The wildfires have had a serious impact on the local weather conditions with temperatures crossing above 40 degree Celsius in the district. Initially, only two fire points were spotted in January.
In February 157 new fire points were reported. Then there was another sharp spike and by March 5, another 293 fire points were identified. To douse the fires, 6,432 km of fire lines have been marked in North and South divisions of Similipal Tiger Reserve and in Baripada, Karanjia, and Rairangpur forest divisions. Awareness programmes on wildfires are also underway at 1,167 places close to SNP while 88 firefighting squads have been formed to douse flames.
The Forest department is also using 647 blowers under various forest ranges and has cleaned the bottom of 14,766 Mohua trees to check the spread of fires, Similipal Tiger Reserve, project director T Ashok said. Environmentalists and nature lovers have demanded that a joint effort is required from all quarters to save the park from fire. They have said people from all walks of life should participate in extinguishing the fires.
