"Forests are being destroyed by fires in Himachal Pradesh but the authorities concerned have failed to initiate required measures to control such incidents," National Convener of Nature Watch India, Rajeshwar Singh Negi, said.
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, the NGO has accused the forest department of ignoring the basic measures outlined in forest management manuals and those suggested by environmentalists to control forest fires.
Negi pointed out that as per the reports of the Environmental Investigation Agency and the Forest Survey of India, forest fires in Himachal are caused only by human activities.
"Unfortunately, no mechanism has been evolved to restrict human activities in forest areas," he said.
