New Delhi: The Uttarakhand government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that only 0.1 % of forest cover was battling forest fires and some sections of media reported that 40% of Uttarakhand was burning, which was totally misleading.
It also apprised the court about the steps taken by the state to control the raging forest fires. The counsel, representing the Uttarakhand government, contended before a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta that from November last year, there have been 398 forest fires in the state and all of those were man-made.
The counsel further said 350 criminal cases have been lodged in connection with forest fires and 62 people named in those and there is punishment of two years for the offence.
“People say 40% of Uttarakhand is on fire, 0.1% of the forest cover was on fire and all this was man-made. From November till today 398 forest fires, all man-made….”, said the state's counsel, adding that five human lives were lost.
The Uttarakhand government also informed the bench about various steps taken by concerned authorities to address forest fires, while placing a status report before the court regarding the issue of forest fires.
During the hearing, the bench observed that cloud seeding or 'depending on rain god' is not the answer to the forest fires issue and stressed that the Uttarakhand government should take preventive measures.
A counsel, who has filed an impleadment application, submitted that forest fires in the state have caused devastation and the state government should take adequate steps in advance to address the fires.
The counsel submitted that immediately after a fire there is a land use change application filed before the authorities saying that a specific area has no forest after the fire. He alleged that the land mafia was behind it.
After hearing submissions, the bench, which was hearing a matter related to forest fires in the state, has scheduled the matter for further hearing on May 15.
