Uttarakhand: Forest minister holds fire-fighting ops for 2nd day

With wildfires raging throughout the state, Uttarakhand Forest and Environment minister Harak Singh Rawat on Tuesday carried out a fire-fighting operation in Lansdowne forest division.
On Monday, minister Rawat had carried out an analogous operation in Pauri Garhwal district. Videos of him utilizing a tree department to douse the flames had gone viral on social media. Local forest employees too had rushed to the spot and joined the operation. A forest guard had sustained accidents within the operation.
On Tuesday, Rawat and his employees members ran an analogous fire-fighting drive in Lansdowne forest division, on his technique to Kotdwar, his Assembly constituency. Rawat additionally known as on native residents to affix the drive.
After the operation, Rawat stated his initiative was aimed toward elevating the morale of forest officers and different employees engaged in fire-fighting operation.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Rawat stated: “I have directed the senior forest officers also to tour the sites of fire to get aware with the ground situation and problems that field officials face in fire fighting operations. They will also take part in fire fighting and their videos and photographs will be shared among the staff to raise their morale.”

Explaining his use of a tree department to douse flames on Monday, Rawat stated it’s an efficient and conventional technique to douse fires in hilly areas the place heavy tools in unavailable.
In first six days of April, the state recorded 414 incidents of forest fires, which have broken over 645 hectares, together with over 400 hectares of reserve forests.
Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has sought assist from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Centre offered two MI-17 helicopters in fireplace combating operation—one every deployed in Kumaon and Garhwal areas.

While one helicopter, deployed in Kumaon area, couldn’t fly for second consecutive day (on Tuesday) due to dangerous climate, the opposite one doused fires in Baaj, Kafal, Khirsu in Kirtinagar forest vary on Tuesday in a three-and-a-half hour operation.
On prevailing wildfire situation, minister Harak Singh Rawat stated that over 1300 hectare space has affected the forest fireplace in present season up to now. He stated that public has been appealed to provoke for dousing wildfire of their close by areas themselves as an alternative of simply ready for the forest employees. Minister stated that wildlife has additionally affected within the ongoing forest fireplace. Minister stated that firefighting operation was happening struggle footing degree.