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.
Comments
This passage has always been quoted out of context and never post other verses 9:1-14, If they did, people would find out that it says the opposite of what they claim. Read from 9:1 – 9:14,
Islam never says to kill non-believers and this wording is related to pagans at the time of renovation. Quran is not an ordinary book. To understand the quran better you need to study Hadith and history. Dear brother Rudra I really appreciate your quote and I advise you to study more and more about islam to find truth. May Almighty Allah Guide you and your family in a right way. May Allah bless you if he wishes. Insha halla
Dear Asokan, dont trust on sanghis who are trying to brain wash you. Whatever you have stated is wrong. Your daughter has no passport to go out of india. Secondly your son-in-law is not a terrorist but those sanghis who are brain washing are the real terrorists who killed Bapuji.
All claims, no proof.
Kill unbelievers where you find them. koran 9:5
Do you dare to deny it? Do you follow it ? pseudo muslim.
As per Quran, All muslims are not terrorists, there is no doubt in it.
I agree with you whatever legal points of view expressed. Hadiya is matured, educated lady and free to convert, believe and marry the boy of her choice.
There is another face to this, which also to be a face of parents! irrespective of Ashokan's Sangh parivar leanings, keep in mind that he is father of Hadiya.They born & bought up her for 24 years and all of sudden they lost her! How their agony, misery and sufferings will be? Just keep us in his place and think, don’t we require little introspection?
Mr.Ashokan Miscerabley failed to prove his claim as said! now even the supereme court allowed Hadiya to meet Mr.Shafin Jahan! the above statement is out of his frustration he maight have said. Now a days it is very easy to paint some one as terrorist , and some as nationalist! media and some Govt. agency under RSS control anything may happen in future as they decide who is nationalist and who is anti national!
Pray for Mr.Ashokan, Please read Islamic history before you comment.
Every one misunderstood that accepting islam is just taking membership. Islam is way of Life proved scientifically and logically. It is just way of Life. any one can learn Islam and practise it. It is open and no body will force to accept islam. It is choice to practise Law defined by Our creator. No body wil be a True Muslim unless he practice the way of life defined by creator. increasing membership in islam no use. Every one should understand their creator and obey him. It is very simple and beautiful. If any one understand the principles of Islam. automatically he will attract. and identify his creator. Only our creator can read our mind and understand true believer. by name we cannot say he is true beleiver.
"If thousands of crminals escape also no innocent should be punished"
"one should not eat full if neighbour is starving"
what a beautiful teaching. We pray Al mighty Allah shows right path for all human being.
Now he need Treatment from Mental Hospital.
How dare Asokan to call a man terrorist without a proof ?
He has the rights to object to the marriage but, can't call a man terrorist.
Drag him to court of law for defamation.
LOL
mr. jahan, file defamation case against this ignorant human...
In sha allah on judgment day hadiya's father will realize that her daughter had made a right decission by entering to the fold of islam and saved her life from hell fire. But sad part is her father is not realizing this now. I pray with almighty that to give hidayah to hadiya's father.
If ALLAH wills, one day you will come to realise that my daughter hadiya has taken a good descision, from dark to light. and i hope that hadiyas entire family will be enter to islam. May ALLAH guide you to understand islam. Aameen.
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