Fire in Nagarahole forest takes heavy toll

HUNSUR (MYSORE DIST): MARCH 13, 2014

The -fire in the Anechowkur range
of the Nagarahole national park
has left a trail of destruction over
an area of 400 square metres.
Bamboo and other plant species,
from the Gonikoppa State Highway
to the Mattigodu elephant camp,
have perished in the blaze.
Devaraj, the range forest officer of
Anechowkur, said a spark in the
Mattigodu forest are could be the
trigger. He said the incident had
occurred despite several measures
being put in place to contain forest
blazes ahead of summer.
Devaraj said the fire was brought
under control by more than 70
people, including daily wage
workers, the members of the public
and the forest personnel. Officials
said the fire had not caused any
harm to elephants in the forest.
The jumbos had been let into the
forest for grazing, Devaraj added.
Miscreants are suspected tto have
lit the fire on the roadside along
the bus route from Anechowkur to
Gonikoppa.
Probable cause
Sparks from there could have led
to the fire spreading fast due to
the bamboo growth in a radius of a
minimum of 100 metres of the
forest, it is learnt.
The range forest officer said that a
fire line had been constructed for a
length of 230 km, to prevent it from
spreading.
Hundreds of acres of forest were
gutted in Mattigodu of the
Nagarahole wildlife division and
the blaze, locals say, is
unprecedented.
The winds are only intensifying
the fire. The fire spread in
hundreds of acres within a couple
of hours, just 300 metres from the
Mattigodu elephant camp.
The water in the fire extinguisher
vehicle was exhausted, but the
blaze could not be brought under
control.
A replacement vehicle could be
brought from Periyapatna only at 5
pm. Hundreds of species of flora
and fauna have been consumed by
the blaze in the Anechowkur forest
between Hunsur and Gonikoppa.
Power lines have also been
snapped.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr
Malathipriya, who is camping in
the forest, said severe action will
be taken against those responsible
for the fire.
CBI probe likely
The cases pertaining to the forest
fires will be referred to the CBI,
said R Gokul, Conservator of
Forests, and Director, Nagarahole
Tiger Reserve.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Gokul
said the fires were man-made and
intentional. The officer said
thousands of hectares of forest
land in Anechowkur had been
damaged and that a case will be
filed with the local police on
Friday.
"This happens every year, just
when the financial year is coming
to an end. The fire was not at all in
a tribal area - it was in the middle
of the highway. The fire has been
properly planned and it has been
synchronised with the one in
Bandipur,” he said.

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