Forest Fire: NTCA Asks Odisha Govt For Protection Of Tiger Reserves During Summer

Bhubaneswar: With Met office forecasting a harsher summer this year and forest fire breaking out in several areas of Odisha in February heat, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has asked the state government to take all possible measure to protect the wildlife in Similipal and Satkosia tiger reserves.

In a letter, the NTCA has told the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) and field directors of Similipal and Satkosia tiger reserves to put all preventive and control mechanisms in place for managing fire in the forest areas as per the provisions of Tiger Conservation Plans and submit an action taken report at the earliest, a TNIE report stated.

The NTCA has also pointed out the Met office forecast that projects the minimum temperature to rise by 0.66% above normal in Odisha between March and May this year.

The NTCA letter holds significance in the light of the forest fire reported from different parts of the state. Dr Sandeep Tripathi, the former PCCF who is heading the task force constituted by the Odisha government to contain the forest fire, on Wednesday said fire points in the state have come down from 3258 on March 8 to 290 on March 10. The Simlipal forest fire has been contained, he added.

Meanwhile, Union Forest and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has informed that a panel of experts a committee of experts will visit Odisha to assess the wildfire situation and provide technical assistance to state officials soon after a delegation of BJP MPs from Odisha led by Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met him in New Delhi.