Jammu: Amid the prolonged dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir, the forest fire incidents witnessed a devastating surge in the Jammu region, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Authorities blamed the majority of the instances on “manmade” causes, alleging that there is a “wrong notion” among people that forest fires bring rain and snow.
According to official data, 485 forest fires were reported in Chenab Circle and Jammu West Circle between October 1 and December 20, while Jammu East Circle alone reported 459 fire incidents between April 1 and June 30.
From October 1 to December 20, 202 fires were reported in Chenab Circle, which includes Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Ramban, Marwah, and Batote, affecting 259.8 hectares of forest. In Jammu West, which includes Poonch, Rajouri, Nowshera, Reasi, and Mahore forests, 283 fire incidents were reported, affecting 743.6 hectares,” it shows.
Several additional fire occurrences have been reported since December 20, and these instances continue unabated.
A total of 459 fire incidents were recorded in Jammu East Circle, which covers the forests of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Billawar, Basholi, Udhampur, and Ramnagar, mostly before the arrival of monsoons, while only a few fire incidents were recorded in this circle during the winter, and that too in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Ramnagar, Billawar, and Basholi.
A Divisional Forest officer told ETV Bharat that the majority of forest fires are manmade, with a handful occurring as a result of high-tension electric cables crossing through the locations.
“There is also a misconception among the people, particularly farmers who rely on rain, that forest fires would bring rain and snow, resulting in adequate moisture in the soil for harvesting during the spring,” he said. “The forest fire exacerbates the dry climate and causes pollution, which has caused health issues for individuals, particularly in Chenab Valley.”
He stated that the unabated forest fire has also resulted in the deaths of several bird species, including Myna and her babies, who were recently killed in the forest fire in the Doda district. The images drew criticism from a variety of sources, including social media users, who called for an end to the forest fire.
Another senior official stated that the forest department intensified action and patrolling by the forest protection team and that the police also aided the department in pursuing the perpetrators.
“We have booked around 25 people in Doda district for being responsible for forest fires, and legal action is being taken against them. We are getting help from district administration, police, and fire service departments and also from the Indian Army to control fire incidents and also identify the culprits behind these acts,” said another forest officer of Doda.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, the Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Javed Rana said, "The government has initiated an enquiry into the matter and several FIRs have been lodged against people responsible for forest fires."
Jammu and Kashmir's total forest cover is 20,194 square kilometres, with 12,066 square kilometres in the Jammu area and 8,128 square kilometres in the Kashmir region. Ladakh Union Territory has 36 square kilometres of forest area. The forest cover consists of 1075 square kilometres of Deodar, 1825 square kilometres of Chir, 1969 square kilometres of Kail, 3401 square kilometres of Fir, and 10075 square kilometres of other types.
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