Forest fire engulfs two more villages

While Tibba Nangal and Balewal villages were engulfed by the fire yesterday, Karuran was in flames today afternoon.

In all, over 2,500 acres of forest land is believed to have been damaged, though no loss of human life has been reported from anywhere in the district. This is mainly because the fire-affected area is some distance away from habitation.

But wildlife is feared to have been destroyed by the fire. Forest authorities say that scheduled animals may have been killed. Since there are a number of protected animals in these forests, it is feared that hares, wild boars, neelgais and deer have perished.

Besides, a large amount of dry khair, sheesham, neem and laltana plantation has probably been destroyed. The extent of damage remains unknown and can be measured only after the flames are brought under control.

Amit Misra, an Indian Forest Service IFS officer who has been specially deputed to monitor the crisis at Nurpur Bedi range, said that the fire was apparently sparked off by a biri that a villager may have thrown into dry shrubs. Another reason could be that some villagers set bee hives on fire to extract honey.

He said that the fire continues to spread on account of the prolonged dry spell that leaves little no humidity in the forests.

Both Misra and Roopnagar Divisional forest officer J. S. Samundri ruled out the involvement of a timber mafia in the area. They said that if there was any foul play, they would have chosen some other time of the year.

There is minor tension in Karuran village, where residents named two persons who were allegedly involved n setting the plantation afire. Samundri assured them of legal action and asked them to submit their complaint in writing.

About a dozen fire tenders have been brought here from far-flung areas like Barnala and Phagwara. It is difficult for them to negotiate the dense forests as well as the narrow lanes of the village.

At Nalhoti village, Roshan Lal has connected a pipe to his tubewell so that he is prepared if the fire tenders don8217;t arrive. Worried about the threat of fire, villagers sprinkled water on the combustible roofs of their houses.

Equally worrying is the absence of a communication system in these out of the way villages, where even the walkie-talkies and mobile phones of forest and police officers do not work.