Bee Net Manipur submits memorandum for combating forest wild-fire
Source: IT News

Imphal, February 01 2021: Biodiversity, Ecology and Environment Network Manipur , (Bee Net Manipur) while expressing appreciation to the Chief Minister and his team on their courage and responsibility that was rendered to fight with the recently broken out Forest Fires in the Dzuko Valley hills (Iso Hills) by deploying more than 200 fire fighters represented NDRF, SDRF, State Police inclusive of air squads of four helicopters and with massive participation of the people of Mao area, have submitted memorandum drawing his attention to take up a solid policy for preservation of forest and wild life.

The BeeNet Manipur memorandum contain 15 point charter of demands.

It includes:
1.Establishment of a 'Forest Protection Force'(FPF) with co-opted regulations, in Manipur by reaffirming the Manipur Forest Draft policy, 1998.
2.Enactment of a special law of 'Burn-ban' to restrict forest fire/wild fire.
3.Implementation of alternative schemes/projects to the economic activities of forest dwellers who earn livelihood by means of related bustles of forest fires.
4.Promotion of awareness programmes among people of hill and plain about demerits, preventive measures and control of forest fires inclusive of the matters of human carelessness such as leaving behind unextinguished camp fires, lit cigarette butts, burnt debris, arson etc.

and understanding of the cultural and psychological background of community perception of forest fire losses.

5.Implementation of the corrective works of the Joint Forest Management Guidelines (1990) of the Government of India emphasizing on the involvement of communities and NGO's in combating forest fires.
6.Looking seriously into the sincerity of utilization of the provisions of development of the land and people of the hill areas and taking up stern action against any misappropriation of fund for the hills.
7.Formation of 'Village Forest Vanguards '(VFV) to look after the surrounding forests and to preventing possible forest fires.
8.To strengthen the district forest departments and their sub-units with necessary modern fire-fighting equipment.

While community participation is important, it needs to further augmented with appropriate pre-fire planning and fire prevention strategy like developing fire plane, fire maps, capacity building through training, pilot demonstration, fire suppression mechanism and if necessary, post fire rehabilitation a management in compatible with the hill situation of the state.

9.Development of good communication system between the hill villagers and the concerned authorities through report collection and opening of separate telephones for emergency calls etc.
10.To develop a documentation center under which study and care of the hills, forest and nature of villages can be properly taken up and keeping data-information of forest fires to easily asses to the prone areas to forest fires.
11.Formulation of scientific approaches to meet the needs of the neighboring populations to forest lands by classification of plantation sites, grazing sites and areas of cultural activities such as customary fire etc.
12.Initiatives to increasing of forest covers on the hill slopes, in the catchment areas of river, lakes and reservoirs and to ensure precautionary measures of wild fires of these areas at the highest level.

13.Establishment of more National parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserved and protected forests and taking up special works to ban man-made fires in these areas and more particularly in the Keibul Lamjao National Park, Yaingangpokpi Wild-life sanctuary, Siroy National Park, and the Keibul Lamjao National Park, provision for their special protection and development should be enhanced.

14.Protection of forest area should priorly be ensured while using hills and the hillocks in the plain construction of Govt.offices; army camps or barracks or private farms and ecological balance of these sites should be well preserved.

15.More power, funding and activities should be increased in the Deptt.

of Forest and Environment and its Ministry in regard to increase forest areas and proper protection and development.

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