Importance of forest fire management deliberated
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 20 2023:
A one day Consultation Workshop of North-East States on National Project on Forest Fire Management was organized by the Forest Department, Government of Manipur in association with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India today at Classic Hotel, North AOC.
The inaugural session was graced by Dr Aditya Kumar Joshi, IFS, PCCF & HOFF, Government of Manipur; Kunal Satyarthi IFS, Joint Secretary, NDMA, Government of India and N Sonzalian IFS, Addl.
PCCF, Manipur as the chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Two of the lead consultants P.K.Mathur and D.K.Sharma, IFS (Retired) were also present in the workshop while M.H.Khan, IAS Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Forests and Relief and Disaster, Government of Manipur also joined the workshop.
Raghu Prasad, IFS, Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India made his opening remark online.
The workshop was also attended by the officers of Forest Department, Manipur, Nodal Officers of Forest Fire of State Forest Departments of all North-East States including Sikkim and representatives of the SDRF, NDRF, SDRM, Forest Survey of India (Kolkata), Rain Forest Research Institute (Jorhat), Fire Services Department, Directorate of Relief and Disaster Management, Non-Governmental Organizations and Tribal representatives.
The participants made their presentations and shared suggestions during the workshop.
Considering the detrimental effects of forest fire on forests, wildlife, hydrological cycle, contributing to climate change, augmenting pollution, loss of soil fertility, increase in soil erosion, landslides and other tangible and non-tangible loss, it has been recognized as a natural disaster like flood, cyclones, earthquakes etc.
The primary aim of the workshop was to discuss specific issues of forest fire in the North East States of India and to obtain inputs from the participants for incorporation in the National Project on Forest Fire Management which is being prepared by a Drafting Committee constituted by the Government of India.
The Committee ensured that the site-specific issues of the North-Eastern States and suggestions made by the participants shall be considered for incorporation in the National project, which is to be submitted to the Government by March, 2023 .