Nature Watch India on Thursday severely criticised the Himachal Pradesh government for allowing forests fires to rage across the state.
“Devastating fires have engulfed jungles all over the state and the state government has done virtually nothing to check this menace,” said Rajeshwar Negi, national convenor, Nature Watch India. “The forests are systematically being decimated and the government has not bothered to take any steps to stop this ecological disaster,” Negi alleged. “Losses put at only Rs 2 crore is pathetic and only shows the complete apathy of the forest department even as irreparable damage has been caused to the environment.
He said the loss caused by these blazes to the flora and fauna is so widespread it cannot be quantified.
“Nature Watch believes fires are the biggest cause of forest degradation yet the forest department continues to live in denial and every year highly downplays the damage ,” he said.
It has demanded that an independent forest fire prevention wing be created headed by a senior officer.
“This officer should at least have a minimum annual budget of Rs 25 crore and power to arrest, penalise and prosecute all violators,” he said. “Two battalions of forest protection force should be created for preventing such fires in future and home guards and IRB staff should be deputed on forest protection duty.”
He also demanded controlled burning be stopped as worldwide studies have proved that such measures are responsible for soil erosion and ecological degradation.
