PM speaks to Rajasthan CM, offers all help to douse blaze
A massive fire spread over 8-10 square kilometres of the forest has raged in the tiger reserve over the last couple of days. “While the cause of the fire remains unknown, consistent high temperatures have worsened the situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday spoke to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and assured all help to control the fire in Alwar’s Sariska Tiger Reserve, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said.
A massive fire spread over 8-10 square kilometres of the forest has raged in the tiger reserve over the last couple of days. “While the cause of the fire remains unknown, consistent high temperatures have worsened the situation. Sariska is known for tigers, but the fire poses a threat for the entire wildlife ecosystem and vegetation,” said Sudarshan Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer, Alwar.
The IMD Wednesday said “heatwave to severe heatwave’’ conditions have been observed in most parts of Rajasthan, in many parts of Himachal Pradesh, in some parts of Haryana and Delhi, and heatwave conditions have been observed in parts of east Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu division. Over the past two days, Akola in Vidarbha, Churu in West Rajasthan and Pilani in East Rajasthan have recorded 43 degree Celsius temperatures.
Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends, said the Sariska fire seems to be a case of extreme heat exacerbating the fire’.
“These temperatures are much ahead of any predicted seasonal heatwaves and speak of non-linear impacts of climate change. The India State of Forest Report-2021 claimed a 177% rise in the forest fire cases between November 2020 and June 2021 against the 2019-20 period,’’ said Khosla.
Share
