Bhubaneswar: Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh said there was no loss of life of animals in the forest fire in Similipal Tiger Reserve.
He said the fire season starts from February 15 to June 15 and added that steps are being taken to contain the forest fire. The Minister said one thousand four hundred points are in the grip of forest fire and added 1175 persons have been engaged to douse the conflagration.
They have been provided with 295 fire extinguishers and 3591 km fire line have been created and seven nodal officers engaged to contain the massive fire. A state level task force has been formed to review the firefighting mechanism, the Minister said and added that 40 vehicles have been pressed into service.
The task force is being headed by former PCCF and it will go into details why forest fire is taking place and measures to contain it immediately. PCCF Jitendra Kumar said forest fire is a natural process but this year the incidences are massive due to excessive heat. He said there is no loss of wildlife nor big trees are destroyed by forest fire.
