Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate Change (MoEFCC) today has ordered an inquiry to ascertain reasons for forest fires reported at various locations across the State. A 24 x7 Control room for Real-time Monitoring of fire is also set up to contain 48 Forest Fire spots in the state.
In a statement issued, the government has also said that there are no major losses to floral and faunal diversity so far.
Sporadic fires have been reported and detected in various areas of Goa including forests, private areas, communidade lands, plantations, revenue lands, etc. since 05th March, 2023.
“All the concerned DCFs have been directed to conduct detailed enquiry into each of the fire incidences which have occurred since 05.03.2023,” the statement said.
The Forest Department Goa in close co-ordination and in tandem with the District Collector (North), the District Collector (South), SP (North), SP (South) and other line departments like Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, has been addressing the local occurrences of fires on topmost priority and mobilising men and material to ensure that the fire spots are contained and loss to life and property, including natural resources is kept at nought/bare minimum.
All concerned officials have been placed on high alert, the situation is being reviewed from close quarters and necessary instructions are being issued from time to time to all responsible officers.
The following steps have been taken by the Department to address the forest fire situation till now.
A 24×7 Control Room has been established for real-time monitoring of the alerts generated by FSI. Exact geo-coordinates and maps of fire locations are shared to the field functionaries on real-time basis to immediately attend to the fires.h
The impacted areas have been divided into sectors and duties have been assigned to DCF and ACF level officers to immediately attend to the fires, for intensive management of forest fires in close coordination with line departments. More than 750 people are on the field to attend to the fire incidences on war-footing.T
To check and prevent unauthorised entries into the forest areas, specific directions have been also given to the DCFs to ensure and strictly enforce the forest laws, as applicable and that matter be flagged to Police Department for investigation at their levels as well.
Joint teams, in co-ordination with District Collector (North)/(South), Police Department, District Disaster Management Authority, Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, local community, including PRI are deployed on field for immediate management of the fire incidences on war-footing. C
Communications have also been made with DC (North/South) and SP (North/South) including the Director (Fire and Emergency Services) to activate the Disastr Management machinery at their respective jurisdiction and issue instructions to the responsible officials for prevention and control of fire.
Also it will generate awareness on Forest Fires amongst the public at large, preventive and control measures in the form of Dos and Don’ts are being disseminated.
The field executives and the teams are attending to the fire by cutting off the fuel to fire through creation of fire-lines and fire breaks, beating of bushes, counter firing, clearing the leaf litter.
All the sites where fire has been doused are being monitored regularly to control it immediately.