The Hindu : Village panels empowered to put out forest fires

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Village panels empowered to put out forest fires

By Our Staff Reporter

VELLORE, MARCH 27. The forest department has empowered presidents of the village forest committees to permit outsiders to enter the forest area for putting out fires, according to A. Samant Singhar, Conservator of Forests, Vellore Circle.

Participating in a Training and Awareness Camp on Forest Fire Prevention and Forest Protection organised by the department at Odugathur, about 40 km from here on Friday, Mr. Singhar said since 95 per cent of the fires were man-made, it was decided to involve the locals in fire prevention and forest protection. Since restriction on entry of outsiders into the forest area caused hurdles to the efforts at extinguishing the recurring fires, it was decided to empower the village forest committee presidents to permit outsiders to enter the reserve forest area to put out the fires. Women's self-help groups were being educated on importance of preserving the forest. This would facilitate efforts of women in preventing their children from causing fires, he said.

The District Forest Officer, Vellore Division, Ajay Singh Panwar, said the danger caused by forest fires to efforts at protecting the forests was aggravated by the presence of areas thickly covered by `manjam pul' (lemon grass). The fires not only destroyed trees and wild animals but also damaged the soil and prevented natural regeneration of forests. He, therefore, sought total cooperation of the public in rural and urban areas in putting out fires.

Selvaraj, Divisional Forest Officer, Crash Plantation Division, Vellore, said fire prevention steps should be taken up in December. `Fire lines,' 20 metres wide, should be dug on the roadsides to prevent fires from spreading to on the hills. Even while digging the trenches, bushes should be burnt. The remnant fire should he extinguished the next day. Committees comprising youngsters should be formed in each village in the forest areas, and they should be given powers to put out fires. He said the Srinivasa Trust, a Chennai-based private organisation at Padavedu promised to provide financial assistance to such committees.

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