The forest department will undertake a massive forest fire control drive and conserve bamboo in the jungles of Kalahandi district, informed regional chief conservator of forests, Mr Suresh Panth.
Mr Panth told media persons here that a detailed action plan has been formulated in this regard. In north and south forest divisions, 10,000 vulnerable spots have been identified and the regeneration areas have been divided in to very sensitive, sensitive and moderate zones.
Blowers and other equipments have been kept in all the range offices ready to extinguish forest fire and fire brigade officers have also been kept in the loop.
Control rooms will be functional round the clock in the division offices to monitor and assistance of GIS software and satellite data will be used.
Steps will be taken to create awareness amongst forest dwellers, said Mr Panth. Last year there was large scale as well as sporadic flowering of bamboo in different forest areas of Kalahandi district leading to drying of the flowered bamboo species.
Usually bamboo after flowering, die ,but the seeds regenerate bamboo after rains. Unless there will be regeneration it will affect the bamboo population and ecology.
This year although there is regeneration from the fallen bamboo seeds, there is need to conserve and protect the regeneration from forest fire. Mr Panth, DFO, South Kalahandi Viswanath Neelamvkar, DFO, North Kalahandi, Nitish Kumar also interacted with media persons here on Tuesday.
Mr Panth noted that bamboo growth is essential in the forest areas for elephants as well as economy of forest dwellers. Karlapat sanctuary of Kalahandi is having elephant herds residing in the sanctuary and migratory elephant herds also move through elephant corridor connecting Karlapat and Kotgarh sanctuary in Kandhmal district via Urladani of Kalahandi.
Forest fire is often caused due to burning of bush and grass to collect minor forest produce like Mahua flower and shifting cultivation. Forest department has prepared strategy to check any forest fire, he said.