Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government is on alert to curb rising forest fire incidents. Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan held a meeting with senior officials and issued several important directions.
He said that all meetings related to forest fire committees and stakeholders must be completed by January to ensure preparedness before the fire season. He also instructed the development of dedicated pressure pipeline systems for fire hydrants and asked the drinking water department to prepare proposals.
Inspection of arrangements
The Forest Department has been directed to conduct special drives to inspect all forest fire-related arrangements and ensure proper maintenance of equipment and vehicles, along with strict adherence to safety protocols.
Prediction model for forest fires
Forest, meteorological, and survey institutions have been asked to develop a prediction model for forest fires, similar to disaster management systems, to assess risks in advance and minimize damage.
Pine needles to be used as fuel
Special emphasis has been placed on the disposal of pine needles (pirul) and their conversion into briquettes (fuel). The government aims to establish more briquette units to control forest fires, provide alternative fuel, and increase the income of self-help groups. Efforts will also be made to link this with carbon credits.
