By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NEW DELHI/BARIPADA: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the situation following the forest fire in Similipal National Park and asked officials to take preventive measures to control it. Chief Minister Patnaik said Similipal is an invaluable treasure not for the country but for the entire world.
Officials informed that the forest fire is under control and there is no loss of lives or any damage to the big trees. An SOP has been issued to deal with the situation and senior officials are present on the spot to monitor the forest fire and give daily updates.
Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday responded to reports regarding the forest fires in Simlipal Tiger Reserve, saying that he had ordered officers to take immediate action and report it to him. As per sources, Simlipal which is one of India’s largest biosphere reserves in the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha has been enveloped in forest fires over the past week.
Following the reports, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan apprised Prakash Javadekar and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik asking them to take cognizance of the alarming forest fires. The Environment Ministry has now taken cognizance over the matter. This also comes months after local reports of a sand and timber mafia came to the fore from Simlipal. As many as 7,188 fire spots have been spotted in Odisha since November 1. The state has 51,619 square kilometers of forest cover with over 19% of the region categorized as ‘fire-prone.’
The Similipal National Park is a national park and tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha spanning over 2,750 km2. Part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, it includes three protected areas — Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary with 191.06 km2, and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary with 272.75 km2.
The National Park derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area and is the 7th largest national park in India, home to the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, gaur, and chausingha. The area is also part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.
