Taskforce to be formed to monitor wildfires across Odisha

Odisha reported a massive fire of 668 forests, the highest in the country

The Odisha government on Monday set up a Forest Fire Management team to fight the blaze in the Similipal biosphere reserve in the Mayurbhanj region and three other wildlife sanctuaries and warned of stern action against those who set fire to the forests.

A statement from the state forest department said a team led by Odisha's former forest superintendent, Dr. Sandeep Tripathy, would review the current forest fires, their causes and their immediate prevention. It will also propose steps to add existing fire management policies including the Geomatics-based Fire Alert System. Other team members include the current PCCF Jitendra Kumar, senior wildlife chief Shashi Paul, director-general of the Forest Survey of India Pankaj Agarwal and representative director-general of ICFRE Dehradun, a member of a local NGO, and a journalist from Mayurbhanj.

The task team will recommend proposals for public participation in fire management and prevention, conducting forest inspection assessments, wildlife losses, biodiversity loss and proposing appropriate measures to add and recommend improvements to SOP for fire prevention and management. in the province to prevent such incidents. The state is reporting more than 23,325 forest fires in the past 7 days, the highest in the country. On Monday, Odisha reported 668 major fires, representing more than 60 percent of the country's major fire incidents. In the Similipal tiger park, where fires are still reported from many parts of the buffer zone, local clothing 'Bhanja Sena' has demanded a 12-hour belt in the Mayurbhanj district on March 10 to complain about the management's failure to control the fire.

Environmental activist Biswajit Mohanty said a case of failure to control wildfires should be placed on the shoulders of the PCCF. "A quick survey of the Telkoi Range in Keonjhar district shows that they have only 27 members of the group and that the requirement is at least 10 times. The department is understaffed, Firefighters are out of staff due to improper inspection by senior officials who approved the programs. At least Rs.30,000 crores of wood is lost due to fires every year, "Mohanty said. Fires have been reported from the Kuldiha shrine in Balasore, Satkosia in Anugul, and the Sunabeda sanctuary in the Nuapara region. In the Kuldiha sanctuary, a fire erupted from the hills of Nandia and spread to other parts of the forest, becoming a major threat to wildlife. "The situation is as threatening as that of Similipal. The forest department must recognize the importance of public participation and community ownership in the forest, which is key to forest protection," said Congress leader Sudarshan Das.

Chief Forest Officer Jitendra Kumar said wildfires in the State's forest areas are nothing new but natural. "As in all ages, fires often spread to bushes and shrubs but do not affect trees. We have never had a fire this year," he said. "The increase in forest fires in Odisha this year is due to rising daytime temperatures and a lack of winter rains."

“As 668 major forest fires have been reported in Odisha today. While the government says the fires have been removed, the real situation tells another story. Although there are modern methods to control wildfires, the government has failed to do so,” Congress chief Mohan Charan Majhi said.

BJP member Subhash Panigrahi alleges that the government is deliberately burning forests to curb the misuse of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Meanwhile, in Baripada, Divisional Forest Officer Santosh Joshi cancelled leaves of all forest workers under this category as new reports of the fire incidents from various areas under the Udala, Dujura, Bangiriposi, Rasgovindpur areas near the Similipal biosphere reserve have been reported. A national named Pradhan Hembram was arrested on Monday on charges of setting fire to the Badampahar Game Reserve under a Dudhiani trip.

In the Sambalpur area, DFO Sanjeet Kumar has warned of severe legal action against those found intentionally burning the forest. "People found burning forest areas will be arrested behind bars without delay," he said and announced the offer of a cash prize of Rs. 5000 to anyone informing them of forest fires.

“Public awareness is being built and we urge the community to co-operate with the forest department. Burning the forest is a criminal offense under the Odisha Forest Act and one found guilty of such crime can be sentenced to three to seven years in prison,” said Sanjeet Kumar.