Jan 2: A year after 12,000 acres of forests in Bandipur went up in smoke, the Karnataka Forest Department is gearing up for the summer even as the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has cautioned that 22.78 lakh acres (9,222 sq km) or about 20% of the green cover spread across three districts in the central part of the state is fire-prone.
The FSI studied forest fire incidents across the country between 2004-05 and 2017 before coming up with state-specific inputs.
According to the 13-year observation, Karnataka has 7,352 “fire points” or areas measuring 5 km X 5 km with frequent fire incidents.
Though the number is lower compared to states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha with over 20,000 points, the sheer spread of the fire-prone area itself is a challenge for the Karnataka Forest Department.
According to data, about three lakh acres (1,199.9 sq km) of forest area is very highly fire prone with 26 to 52 fire incidents in 13 years. This is followed by 7.6 lakh acres (3,067 sq km) of “highly fire prone” areas with an average of one to two incidents every year.
Almost all of the “red alert” areas are concentrated in Uttara Kannada, Chikkmagaluru, Shivamogga and Chamarajanagar districts. As temperature rises at the end of January, so does the risk of forest fires, requiring officials to be on vigil till the end of summer.
After an investigation into the Bandipur blaze revealed that faulty fire lines and poor supervision were the reason for the spread of the fire, the department has come up with a multi-pronged approach to prevent similar incidents this year.
“After the Bandipur incident, we have created a fire cell and a standard operating procedure (SOP) which everyone has to follow. Firstly, a fire management plan is prepared and approved by a competent authority.
The SOP has well defined firelines which have to be executed by December-end and burning must be completed by January 15,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Punati Sridhar told DH.
He said that to ensure its strict implementation, GPS readings of firelines are to be submitted for random verification.
“All the required equipment from fire jackets to shoes, gloves, backpack sprayers and tractors mounted with 2,000-5,000 litre tanks with high pressure pumps will be deployed at vantage points,” he said.
In addition, the department’s fire cell works in collaboration with the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre (KSRSAC) to give fire alerts within half and hour of an area catching fire and detected by satellites.
“Earlier, the gap used to be four hours by when the fire would have spread beyond control. Now, with reduced time gap, it would be easier to control fire early,” he added.
"We Hindus offer Lord Krishna's package to Muslims--give us 3 temples and keep 39,997 masjids. I hope Muslim leaders don't become Duryodhans," Swamy tweeted.
Comments
Temple are filled with IDOLs, All idols doesnt speak, it cannot help itself, it cannot move,,,, & ALLAH say human are intelligent when they THINK. I wonder Y intelligent beings are not thinking ???????
VEDAS says NA Tasya Pratima Asti... There is no image, statues and pictures of God.. Why are u worshiping such thing which is life less.
WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT HIS CREATION... (Quran speaks lot about our LIFE and the creation of all that exists..) If the creator says Mankind is intelligent .. Then FIND out Who is worthy of Worship rather than blindly following and worshiping the LIFELESS objects..
SEEK guidance from the one who gave us soul, Just say OH God, the one who gave me soul - GUIDE me to the TRUTH..
U will be on the path of those who are successful... GOOD LUCK May ALLAH guide those who look for HIM.
I say you give all your other temples to Muslims and keep that 3 temple.
BJP always keeps this Rama mandir issue open to contest in election, if they build Rama mandir issue is closed, then there will not be a big issue to contest in election. One thing is clear BJP wont build Rama mandir. They are following divide & rule.
BJP is counting downfall because of such morons in their party
And about this giving and keeping business....does he thinks that it's as easy as giving his daughter to a Muslim boy
Guys,
Why Swami is handling the Muslim community because his only one daughter ran away with Muslim guy that is why he is in pain so everywhere he is carrying that pain that he was not able to control his daughter. we should understand his pain. just ignore him.
Subramanya swine has nothing to do as his name is fading away from active politics, this is just a publicity gimmick.
He went on top list of jokers in BJP for this joke...see the pic, he himself is not controlling on his own joke..
He is a big joker, see how he is laughing on his own joke...
Swami dreaming in day time, Contraction of temple I am sure not in your this life. you should take a rebirth again.
To dear Fair Hindu Brothers,
Please have control on his tongue. Truly, he does not represent Hindu Community.
As in every community, there are black sheep. He could be one of them,
However once again, his comments has no bearing with Fair Hindus. The strange, why BJP does not want to stop such crazy leaders to be in their core committee.
Therefore even BJP is also not yet all representing real HIndus.
Now in India, we need a very strong party in the national level., like AAP in Delhi., consisting of like minded fair and open people. Let us encourage AAP in the next election.
In Delhi, they are success, God willing they can be successful in Centre.
A New deception to FOOL people & Unthinking saffron plan to loot. More deception will come when Elections are nearer & nearer...
Looting the country & destroying the peaceful society is the only agenda of Such LOOTERS...
Forget about 3 mosques, we will not give you a dust from them...
one of sardar's of stupid .... joker swamy :p
Susu Swami network begins for the year 2016..
Ye tho pagal swami hai. !
Why only such jokers are leaders in BJP.
BJP Credibility and fate of commons : Yatha raja - Ta tha praja.
It is better if this stupid concentrates himself on fixing unemployment problems around...temple construction is not an issue for people...
forget about 3 temples............even you can not get 3 hairs instead.............. if the Ram janmabhoomi issue is resolved , then saffronists have no issue to revolt innocents against Us
Swami very understanding Gentleman as well he assume Millions of Millions Hindustani's are big buffoons what he thinks so, probably he do not understand why Temples, Mosques, Churches or any other spiritual places, swami for you better stay in spiritual place as a puja that is best job for you or better to go Tamilnadu and join Cheala work very good or we have to have some different options to you Gentle man.
Jai Hindustan
election joke
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