You can soon dial 24/7 to combat forest fires
Mumbai: The forest department will start a 24-hour helpline to tackle forest fires in the state, forest minister Babanrao Pachpute told the legislative council on Tuesday. The helpline will have a unique number and people can report forest fires there.
Pachpute was replying to a question raised by Shiv Senas Neelam Gorhe under Rule 93. Gorhe had raised the issue of a fire at the Ajanta caves on March 13, which killed wildlife and injured three forest workers.
Forest officials said forest fires had increased in the state and they damaged the ecological balance as well as flora and fauna.
At the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli, more than 40% of the land was damaged in blazes last year. In Tansa sanctuary,
tribals set the jungle on fire during Holi. This made the hunting of deer and the black-naped hare easier.
tribals set the jungle on fire during Holi. This made the hunting of deer and the black-naped hare easier.
Senas Arvind Sawant said the helpline must be started immediately and forest officials should put a stop to the practice of extinguishing forest fires using the branches of trees.
Pachpute said the government had taken several measures to tackle forest fires. We have set up committees of villagers to alert us about forest fires and also given prizes to those warning us, he said.
Replying to another calling attention motion moved by Sanjay Dutt of the Congress on the dwindling figures of tigers and panthers trespassing in the city area, Pachpute said 174 villages were disturbing wildlife reserves in Pench, Tadoba and Melghat. The state got an approval from the Centre recently to increase the compensation to Rs 10 lakh.
Dutt said the number of tigers had dwindled from 138 to 103. Pachpute said the state was taking steps to deal with the situation.
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