Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Dec 20: Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu Roshan Jaggi, alongwith Conservator of Forests and other field officers conducted extensive tour of affected area of erstwhile Doda district and reviewed the preparedness of the department to control and prevent the menace of forest fires.
As per official hand out issued by Forest Department, about 36 Control Rooms manned by teams of officials of territorial wing and Forest Protection Force personnel have been established at various strategic locations. The fire fighting teams have been well equipped to deal with the fire incidences in shortest possible time.
Members of Village Forest Committees, Panchayats and local people have been actively associated by the department in current anti-fire operations. Forest Department has also engaged local unemployed youth as fire watchers who are rendering good assistance in detection, protection and control of fire incidences in their localities.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu after spot inspection informed that during last 15 days about 28 incidences of forest fires have occurred in different places of Ramban, Banihal, Ramban, Batote, Doda, Kishtwar, Marwah and other Forest Division, He disclosed that in all the cases only grasses / ground vegetation by way of ground fire have been affected and no damage has been caused either to green trees or life and property of villages in any of affected areas.
The forest official teams are camping in various areas and situation is well under control, he further informed. The Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu apprised that fire control operations are risky and especially in steep terrain of Banihal-Ramban area. Seven forest officials have received burn-injuries so far during the anti fire operations.
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