Sabuja Bahini member tries to douse the burning part of forest near Similipal Biosphere, Odisha. File photo | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Raut
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday, March 13, 2023 urged Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav to set up an empowered committee to prepare a detailed long-term action plan. forest fire in odisha
Mr Pradhan closed the letter in the wake of wildfires exceeding the number of fires recorded in other states this year.
He also sought Mr Yadav’s personal intervention in convening a meeting between ministry officials and state government officials to initiate immediate measures to control the fire.
“We need to assess the damage caused to forest land, flora and fauna as well as to communities dependent on forests for their livelihood, and take suitable remedial and corrective action in this regard,” stressed Mr. Pradhan.
“Odisha has a forest area of 51,619 sq km, of which a significant portion is classified as ‘extremely fire-prone’, ‘extremely fire-prone’, ‘extremely fire-prone’ and ‘moderately fire-prone’. Has gone. This includes the Similipal National Park, India’s seventh largest national park, which is home to several endangered species,” he said in the letter.
drought since october
Stating that the prolonged drought since October 2022 and the accumulation of inflammable materials like dry leaves in the forests have resulted in large-scale forest fires, the Education Minister said, “642 major fire incidents have been recorded in the state Even after this, forest fires continue in Odisha. from March 2-9, 2023, the highest in the country during this period. On March 9, the eastern state recorded 96 major fires in various forests – also the highest in the country, according to Forest Survey of India (FSI) data. All other states together, recorded 189 active fire incidents on the same day.
“Odisha had recorded 871 major forest fires since November 1, 2022, the beginning of the forest fire season. This is also the national record of the season. It was followed by Andhra Pradesh (754). Karnataka (642), Telangana (447) and Madhya Pradesh (316),” he pointed out.
“As on date, there are 1,840 cases of forest fires in Odisha, out of which 153 are large scale fires. Significantly, in the last 24 hours, 1,625 incidents of forest fire have been registered in the state. Reportedly, 35% of all forest fires in the country are being reported from Odisha. In the last four months, Odisha has reportedly lost 4,000 hectares of forest area due to forest fires,” Mr Pradhan said in the letter.
The Union Education Minister said that if this year’s forest fire trends are analysed, the 2023 season could surpass the level of 2021 when forest fire incidents had triggered massive public outrage.
“Such forest fires not only cause irreparable damage to the flora and fauna of the land, but also pose a threat to the tribal and farming communities living in the periphery of the forests. This destroys their livelihood earned from minor forest produce like wood, mahua flowers, kendu leaves, and medicinal plants. Besides, it contributes to severe air pollution in urban habitats and rising temperature in the state,” he said.
“It is imperative to immediately address these ongoing forest fires with prompt and coordinated action between the Central and State Forest Departments while coming up with a long-term plan for prevention and mitigation of further forest fires in Odisha. Mitigation strategies can focus on involvement of the local community and rejuvenation of existing water bodies inside forests to control fires,” stressed Mr Pradhan.