Bolangir: Forest fires have been raging in various forests in Bolangir. The forest department is trying its best to contain fires, but efforts are reportedly ineffective in some pockets, a report said.
Reports citing satellite images of the fires available from January till March 10 say, fires were detected at 756 points in forested pockets. Thursday, fires were reported from 48 points Thursday alone.
Fires have destroyed trees in Gandhrel reserve forest on the outskirts of the Bolangir town. Being informed by some conscious citizens, DFO Sameer Satpathy ordered quick action for dousing fire.
Forest officials and firefighters had tried to douse fires Thursday. The DFO also visited the four fire spots. The DFO said that when fire-fighting teams were taken to one place, fire was reported from another place.
“Some people are suspected to be deliberately setting fire to forests,” he added. The Vana Surkahya Samiti is working at Gandhrel village. But its members did not react on forest fires.
There were bundles of kendu leaves at the spots where fires were reported. The DFO suspected that fires were ignited so as to pave the way for easy collection of kendu leaves and mahul flowers.
It was learnt that fires starting from foothill areas spread to uphill areas. On the other hand, staff shortage of the forest department has been a hindrance in the firefighting exercise.
There are only 110 members in the fire squad. They are unable to tackle fires properly at right time. It was suspected that fires might have destroyed flora and fauna to a great extent in forests, which have not been assessed till date.
PNN
