Goemkarponn Desk
PONDA: Ponda Forest Team has detained two suspects of whom one is an RTI activist for wandering into the forest at odd hours without obtaining permission from the department.
As per information and forest workers failed to douse the blaze near Sanjivani Sugar Factory but the wildfire spread to the hillock near Bhumika Temple at Piliem.
After putting in hard efforts the entire day, the workers returned back at 5 pm following directions from the officials. There are leopards in the region, which is on fire.
On their return, the forest workers had noticed two persons near Bhumika temple proceeding up the hill. Forest officials Santosh Fadte, Vishwas Chodankar and others observed a scooter parked in the temple premises.
Later it was ascertained that the two persons were strangers and both were detained at around 7 pm near Bhumika temple as they returned after wandering into the forest at odd hours, both were being questioned till late night.
Meanwhile, for effective inter-State coordination to control fires across Goa and Karnataka, the government had designated Deputy Conservator of Forests (Headquarters) Jebastin A, IFS, as the nodal officer. The department has also shared phone numbers of points of contact with the Karnataka PCCF, with a request that they notify their nodal officer, for effective management.
Also, the concerned DCFs (North-Wildlife and South-Wildlife) have been instructed to maintain a high state of vigil while, for overall direction APCCF Saurabh Kumar will coordinate for the State to make sure everything is carefully supervised.
Also fire watchers have been sent to critical spots to conduct extensive patrols along the border between Goa and Karnataka, it was informed.
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