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TFP Bureau, Raipur; June 12, 2024: Under the guidance of Forest and Climate Change Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, the Chhattisgarh Forest Department has implemented comprehensive measures to protect the state’s forests from fire, prioritizing this effort until June 15, 2024.
To facilitate prompt reporting and response to forest fires, a control room has been set up in the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Office at Aranya Bhawan Raipur. A toll-free number, 18002337000, has been established for the public to report fire incidents. Similar control rooms have been established in all forest division offices across the state to monitor fire incidents continuously.
The fire season, which started on February 15, is a critical period for the department. Forest fires not only destroy plants needed for natural regeneration but also degrade the quality of wood. Hence, protecting forests from fire is vital.
To combat fires, fire lines have been cut, cleaned, and lit in all forest divisions. CAMPA funds have facilitated the appointment of fire guards in every beat, and modern fire blowers have been provided to employees for effective firefighting.
Fire alerts from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) are integrated into the department’s system. GPS coordinates of fire sites are sent via SMS to employees’ mobile phones, enabling quick and precise response. The FMIS Aranya Bhawan Raipur also disseminates daily SMS alerts with GPS coordinates to all officers and employees.
Principal Chief Forest Conservator and Forest Force Chief Shri V. Srinivas Rao has issued directives ensuring all officers, employees, forest protection committees, and fire guards remain vigilant. They are to promptly address any signs of fire or smoke in forest areas and work to extinguish fires immediately. Forest management committees are to take an active role in fire protection, emphasizing public awareness as a key factor in fire prevention.
In cases where forest fires are found to be intentionally set or for hunting purposes, proper legal action will be taken against the culprits. During the 2024 tendu leaf collection season, if fires occur in forest areas during branch cutting and tendu leaf collection, action will be taken under the buyer agreement terms. The goal this year is to minimize both the number of fire incidents and the area affected by fires.
