Dehradun: Uttarakhand forest department has already lost a staggering 814.72 hectares of forest land in 557 cases of wildfires in the first week of April. The maximum incidents were recorded in Garhwal region (371 cases where 405.25 ha gutted) followed by Kumaon (153 cases, 118.39 ha gutted) and wildlife areas (29 incidents, 26.45 ha lost).
In barely a week's span, Uttarakhand exchequer has recorded a loss of Rs 17.6 lakh.
According to the evening bulletin on wildfires by the forest department on Wednesday, 75 active fires have gutted 93.02 hectares of forest cover in the past 24 hours. Highest incidents were reported from Garhwal (60), Kumaon (10) and wildlife areas (5) wherein, 81 ha, 8.47 ha and 3.55 ha forest land, respectively, were destroyed.
The persistent hazy atmosphere is also causing health issues for the elderlies. Even as the fear of forest fires after brief spells of rain and snow continue to loom in the minds of forest officials, they are now "multiplying their firefighting efforts".
Meanwhile, the exercise to nab culprits and lodge cases against those involved in causing forest fires or even uncontrolled burning in their farms continued on Wednesday.
An FIR was registered against a Nainital youth on Wednesday for "causing damage to the forests".
“A 23-year-old man has been charged under section 26 of Indian Forest Act, 1927, for causing fires in Bhowali motorway of Nainital on Wednesday. He was caught red-handed,” TR Bijulal, Nainital DFO, said.
Overall, 1,943 hectares of forest area has been lost in 1,422 wildfire incidents in the past six months in Uttarakhand causing a loss of Rs 51 lakh to the exchequer.
