New Delhi (NVI): With a wildfire continuing to rage in Similipal forest reserve for over last two weeks, the Centre today formed a three-member expert team to help the state government to help control the unprecedented fire incidents.
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar has formed the expert committee.
The team which will be moving to Odisha soon will tender expert technical advice and handholding towards early and effective dousing of the forest fires. Javadekar tweeted on the development earlier today.
“Today Sh. @dpradhanbjp & other MP’s from Odisha met me regarding Forest Fire in #SimlipalNationalPark & nearby. @moefcc is sending a committee of experts to Odisha to give technical advise &help out state forest dept. in effective management of forest fire incidents in the region,” read the tweet.
“The experts will work in coordination with the deployed team for early and effective dousing of fire. Will be reviewing the situation with my team at @moefcc on a daily basis,” he said in a series of tweets.
Today Sh. @dpradhanbjp & other MP’s from Odisha met me regarding Forest Fire in #SimlipalNationalPark & nearby.@moefcc is sending a committee of experts to Odisha to give technical advise &help out state forest dept. in effective management of forest fire incidents in the region pic.twitter.com/I0zEh5YCaL
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 10, 2021
The team would be working till the State attains a normal situation with respect to fire incidents, the Environment Minister said, adding that along with the team at MoEFCC, he will himself be monitoring everyday map showing the forest fire detections in the entire State of Odisha and also a separate map showing fire detection in Similipal Tiger Reserve.
The team consists of Dr. Amit Mallick, IGF, National Tiger Conservation Authority, New Delhi; Subratt Mahapatra, DDG, MoEF&CC Regional Office, Bhubaneswar; Arti Chaudhary, Head, Silviculture –ICFRE (as fire expert).
As per the Ministry, the initial Terms of Reference for the team would be:
* Assessment of the status of fire incidents in Odisha, Similipal Tiger Reserve/Biosphere Reserve in particular.
* Expert and technical advice to the State for containment in control of fire in forest area.
* Status of loss of forest and wildlife and its relationship with poaching, if any.
-ARK
