A video went viral on social media showing three youths prompting blaze in Uttarakhand forests. Following this, the police arrested the three youths in Chamoli. The three youths originally hail from Bihar
Uttarakhand recorded highest number of forest fires in country in April’s last week.
Chamoli: Three people from Bihar have been arrested by police in Chamoli for allegedly prompting forest fires in Uttarakhand. A video went viral on social media in which the three youths were seen prompting the forest fires.
In the viral video, one of the youths can be heard saying, “Nobody challenges those who play with fire and Biharis are never challenged.” The accused were booked under section 26 of Indian Forest Act of 1927 and several other sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The accused have been identified as Brijesh Kumar, Salman and Shukhlal. All the accused are residents of Bihar. Following the arrests, the district SP Sarvesh Panwar appealed to the people not to indulge in prompting fire in forests. “Do not indulge in setting fire in the forests or promote it as it is a punishable crime. Those who will not adhere to law, will be punished,” the district SP said.
What we know so far
- On May 4, Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP), Uttarakhand, Abhinav Kumar said that several cases have been registered in nine districts in connection with the forest fires in Uttarakhand.
- The police and forest departments will identify the areas that are prone or being impacted by fire in the forests. It will also be probed whether the flames erupted accidentally or on purpose.
- The Uttarakhand DGP said, “It is to be noted that 70 percent of Uttarakhand is covered with forests. This makes forest and wildlife protection a matter of top priority not only for the forest department but also for the police department. “We have taken the issue of forest fires in various forests throughout the state extremely seriously, based on the information we have received about them this year.”
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had earlier stressed the need for advance measures and preparations to deal with such forest fire incidents in the future. “Responsibilities of all the senior officers from the headquarters should be fixed, as should the district officers and there should be complete control over it,” he said.
- On May 4, the CM also conducted a review meeting. During the meeting, measures to tackle forest issues like the drinking water crisis in the state, were discussed.
- Uttarakhand has witnessed an alarming rise in the forest fire cases in the last one month. According to reports, the state usually experiences forest fires in mid-February as the trees shed their dry leaves and the soil loses its moisture due to soaring temperatures, which continued until mid-June.
- In view of the soaring forest fires in Uttarakhand, Head of Forest Force Dhananjai Mohan had directed officials to acknowledge fire alerts on priority and take timely action.
- According to reports, over 1,000 hectares of forest land have been destroyed due to forest fires across the state since November 2023. On May 3, three workers at a factory in Almore lost their lives while using the flames of the fire.
- Kumaon region has reported the maximum number of fire incidents across Uttarakhand. Since November 1, 2023, the region has reported over 460 forest fire incidents.
- Meanwhile, smog engulfed Nainital on April 26 due to the smoke arising from forest fires. Amidst the soaring forest fires, doctors have concerns over rising problems of people suffering from bronchitis and asthma.
