COIMBATORE: Ahead of summer, the forest department has decided to divert some of its existing staff strength to seven forest ranges, including Madukkarai, Coimbatore, Boluvampatti, Periyanacikenpalayam, Karamadai, Sirumugai and Mettupalayam, as part of measures to prevent forest fire.
A total of 300 km of forest fire line maintenance works have been completed recently, which would help the department to control fire in the forest from spreading. Apart from that, officials from Coimbatore forest division have cleared vegetation for 90 km in seven forest ranges, including vulnerable places like Narasipuram in Boluvampatti forest range and Karadimadai in Madukkarai forest range. Moreover, 6 km of vegetation has been cleared from the Tamil Nadu - Kerala forest boundary on both sides.
District Forest Officer of Coimbatore Forest Division TK Ashok Kumar told TNIE, “The clearing of vegetation will help us to control fire if it spreads either from Kerala to Tamil Nadu or from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. The state government has sanctioned funds for providing salary to the fire watchers for the next three months.”
Apart from forest fire, another task for the staff is to prevent the elephant intrusion into residential areas, as there is a high chance that elephants may come to human habitation in search of water and food during summer.
“Vulnerable places like Thadagam, Naickenpalayam and Madukkarai are being monitored regularly. More elephant trackers will be engaged to divert the animals inside the forests. We are also spreading awareness among the tribal people about forest fires,” he said.
As per sources, so far only one forest fire has taken place in Madukkarai forest range in this year, in which less than one acre of grass was destroyed. The fire spread from the nearby agricultural fields. “The fire was put off easily since the location was close to the roadside,” said the DFO.
The department has also decided to construct additional water troughs in each forest range except Sirumugai at a total cost of Rs 13 lakh, with capacity of storing 1,000 to 3,000 litres of water to cater the requirements of wildlife. There are already 94 water troughs in the division.