STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH: Continuous massive forest fire that started on Saturday morning in Bhalla Forest in Keller Range of Forest Division Bhadarwah has reportedly destroyed dozens of cedar saplings beside various shrubs and herbs have been converted into ashes.
The forest fire that engulfed Compartment 3 of Keller Rage today morning at 8:30 AM damaged dozens of cedar trees beside hundreds of young saplings.
Locals of adjoining Bhalla village are alleging foul play by the forest officials and maintained that the forest fire could be an insider job so as to hide the proof of illegal felling of trees in the forest division and perhaps to facilitate the marking of dry and fallen trees for departmental extraction as Supreme Court has put a blanket ban on green felling.
A villager from Bhalla area alleged that forest officials always make a lame excuse that grazers set the forest on fire so that next year there will be more grass for the cattle, which is completely wrong as there is hardly any vegetation for the next two years after the forest fire.
“Forest fire is going on in Compartment 3 adjoining to our village since morning but forest officials reached there after lunch and is trying to douse the fire,” he added.
When contacted DFO Bhadarwah T.B Singh confirmed the fire incident and said this is a minor ground fire and his men are on the job. “It’s not major fire and only regeneration and ground grass have caught the fire. some school going children lit the fire at banks of river which spread to forest area, as of now we are on the job and have taken preventive and precautionary measures to control the fire. I am on the spot along with my team and trying our best to douse the flames and spread of the fire,” said DFO Bhadarwah T. B. Singh.
