Fix onus on officials to prevent forest fires: Karnataka HC

The court said, “While entrusting the responsibility of a particular zone, to protect the forest, personal responsibility should be fixed on the office concerned in case of any untoward incidents.
Karnataka High Court (EPS| Debdutta Mitra)
Karnataka High Court (EPS| Debdutta Mitra)

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued several directions to the state government to take preventive measures against forest fires and to protect wildlife across state, Kodagu district in particular, and to fix the responsibility of the officials concerned. 

“It is hightime that every individual and state officers should have three principles in life-’Daiva Preethi (Love for God), ‘Papa Bheethi’ (Fear of Sin) and ‘Sangha Neethi’ (Morality in Society),” said Justice B Veerappa while disposing a petition filed by K A Ravi Chengappa, principal convenor of Kaveri Sene, from Kodagu District. 

He moved the HC to issue directions to the government to constitute a separate task force, especially in Kodagu district, in view of the forest fire in 2017, due to come miscreants and also failure on the part of authorities. 

The court said, “While entrusting the responsibility of a particular zone, to protect the forest, personal responsibility should be fixed on the office concerned in case of any untoward incidents. The state government, while constituting the village committees, should take the villagers concerned into confidence and include them in the committee, including the petitioner and his sene’s Members by fixing a responsibility.”  

Directing the state for the strict implementation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, HC directed the government to take up an extensive afforestation campaign and to take strict action against poaching. 

It also directed the government to fix responsibility on a person, who operates 24x7 from the toll-free number 1926 to receive messages related to forest fires and also to members of the rapid response teams comprising forest officers, forest guards and watchers.

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