CS reviews preparedness on forest fires
my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 15 Apr: Chief Secretary (CS) Anand Bardhan chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat here today with senior officials to review measures for the prevention of forest fires. During the review meeting, the CS directed that all the committees and stakeholders concerned with forest fire management must hold their meetings compulsorily by January every year so that arrangements are in place before the fire season begins. He instructed the Peyjal Departmetn (Drinking Water Department) to prepare a proposal for dedicated pressure pipelines to ensure the functioning of fire hydrants installed at various locations across the state.
Bardhan also directed the Forest Department to conduct a drive to inspect all the arrangements related to forest fire prevention and ensure proper maintenance of the vehicles and the equipment. He emphasised that security protocols must be strictly followed at all the resin depots. He further directed the Forest Department, Meteorological Department and Forest Survey Institute to develop a prediction model for forest fires on the lines of the disaster management so that the likelihood of fire incidents can be assessed in advance, so that the loss of life and property can be minimised.
Bardhan laid special emphasis on the disposal of pine needles (Pirul) and the promotion of Pirul briquette production. He said that efforts should be made to establish more units in Uttarakhand to use Pirul briquettes as an alternative fuel. This, he noted, would not only help in preventing forest fires but also enhance the availability of substitute fuel and at the same time improve the economic condition of self-help groups (SHGs) and link the initiative with carbon credits.
Among those present at the meeting were Secretaries Dilip Jawalkar, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, C Ravishankar, Vinod Kumar Suman and Ranveer Singh Chauhan, Chief Conservators of Forests Sushant Kumar Patnaik, Parag Madhukar Dhakate, along with other senior officials. District Magistrates also joined through video conferencing.
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