Keonjhar: Wildfires have reportedly played havoc to acres of woodland in Kalapat reserve forest under Telkoi range of Odisha’s Keonjhar district. With fire raging at several places, valuable trees and medicinal plants have perished in the blaze.
According sources, forest department has so far failed to contain fires that have been spreading in Kirkinjia hill, Biringa hill, Dainyagiri, Pudhidua hill. Ganjiaghar hill. Bhalumadak, Baghuasarai hill and Dayagiri under Telkoi range.
Expressing concern over it, people of Bena and Kaladora villages in Khuntapada panchayat lamented that the fires are destroying valuable medicinal plants as well as reptiles while the forest department’s efforts are falling short to douse the raging fires owing to manpower crunch.
The forest department needs to reinforce its efforts with more staff and equipment for containing fires as early as possible, they suggested.
To escape the fury of forest fires, elephants and other animals are headed for nearby villages, which is creating panic among the local residents.
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